Is a stonechip/small crack in windscreen an automatic NCT fail?

RINO87

As it says on the tin.....

Prepping a car to put it back on road, and noticed a small stonechip today. I can't remember if these are automatic fails??

Will be in a catch 22 if so..wouldn't mind repairing the windscreen on the insurance, but there's nothing on it right now, will be a classic policy, but to get insurance I need NCT, and round and round we go.

mk7r

Yeah that's a fail

Flinty997

Dunno how current this is...

Chips or cracks in the windscreen directly in front of the driver, in the area swept by the wiper blades, are acceptable if they are less than 10mm in diameter. In the rest of the swept area up to 40mm damage is acceptable.

Official stickers (parking permits, tax disc etc) in the swept area in front of the driver will fail if they are more than 10mm in diameter (40mm elsewhere).

junkyarddog

That's in zone "B" you are allowed a chip/damage once it can be contained within a 20mm radius.

If yours is in this category you'll be fine to leave it as is.

Scroll though this for exact detail of what the acceptable limits for damage are.

https://www.rsa.ie/docs/default-source/services/s4.7-nct/nct-manuals/nct-tester-manual-june-2021.pdf?sfvrsn=4cddfe90_5

You could also try a chip repair on that.

https://www.micksgarage.com/d/glass-care/products/3787288/windshield-repair-kit-for-glass-chips-and-cracks?loc=ie&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpt_E9_DVgQMV0uDtCh2EQQf0EAQYASABEgKYivD_BwE

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121183142#Comment_121183142

I would have said its not a fail - its in zone C of the NCT guidelines which used to allow cracks up to 40mm. They have changed the wording recently though.

Id say it would depend on the tester on the day though - if it was me Id take my chance with it.

• ZONE A; Damage that can be contained within a 10mm diameter circle

(maximum of two defects provided they are more than 100mm apart).

• ZONE B; Damage that can be contained within a 20mm diameter circle or

hairline cracks up to 30mm long (maximum of two defects provided they

are more than 100mm apart).

• ZONE C; Damage is acceptable other than where it affects view to the front

or damage which exposes the inner layer of a laminated screen, renders

the screen insecure or interferes with any ADAS sensor/camera.

appledrop

No it's not an automatic fail, it depends on size and where it is.

Mine passed but it was more a small chip, your one looks more like a crack to me and much bigger than mine was.

mk7r

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121183219#Comment_121183219

Its starting to spider which they dont like passing, I guess its a free visual so worth trying it but there is a good chance of it growing on the way to the centre

RINO87

Thanks all. I'll.try the repair kit and see how it goes, it does certainly seem like it could spread rapidly.

Bit of a headscratcher how it happened tho. It 100% wasn't there when I put it in the shed a few weeks ago, just noticed it today when rinsing off the dust in the fine weather. Maybe a bolt from the roof took a tumble during the bad weather last week....

User1998

Just put it through the test, its only a visual fail, if any.

FishOnABike

Whether it would pass or fail as it is I would get it repaired as soon as possible. It should cost about €40 to €50 depending on the size. Left as it is, it will only spread until the windscreen will have to be replaced.

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121183210#Comment_121183210

+1 on that chip repair kit. Used it and it worked a treat. Instructions with it are crap though. YouTube vid from the company explains it perfectly though.