Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen

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Fri 6 Aug 2010 23:12
Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen - Green7

I took my car to a garage I've been using for many years for a standard MOT. On the whole I am happy with the service they provide and have not had any complaints. Today, I went to collect my car and paid almost £400 for work completed mainly on the exhaust. When I got into my car, I noticed a large crack on the driver side of the windscreen which was certainly not there when I took my car in originally. I went and alerted the receptionist in the office who sent out a mechanic to have a look. He denied knowledge of the crack in the windscreen and said that the MOT would not have been passed if they'd seen it and that it must have happened while it was sitting on the forecourt awaiting collection.

Cracks in the windscreen do not just suddenly materialise and I am certain something was dropped on it. He told me that I should check my insurance to see if I have windscreen cover/ excess. I assumed that seeing as the crack occurred on his premises, while the car was in his care, he would just replace it especially as I had just forked out almost £400 for the MOT.

Surely, I should not be expected to cover the costs through my insurance? I felt fobbed off and it was clear he was trying to deny liability. I was also confused because he told me to go home, check my insurance policy and ring him on Monday. If the MOT can't be passed with a cracked windscreen, why send me away with the car? Some advice would be much appreciated.

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Sat 7 Aug 2010 08:09
Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen - Armitage Shanks {p}

SFAIK it would not be illegal to drive a car with a cracked windscreem, so long as it had a valid MOT. Did your garage issue you with an MOT. If so a compromise might be to get your windscreen replaced on your insurance and ask the garage to refund your XS.

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Sat 7 Aug 2010 15:30
Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen - Dwight Van Driver

MOT Tester Manual states, as far as windscreens are concerned, they have to

examine the swept area of the windscreen and the driver's view through it.

If in

Zone 'A' (roughly directly in front of drivers normal eye level)

a. damage not contained within a 10mm diameter circle, or

b. a windscreen sticker or other obstruction encroaching more than 10mm

c. a combination of minor damage areas which seriously restricts the driver's view
In the remainder of the swept area:

d. damage not contained within a 40mm diameter circle

It’s a fail.

The garage issued an MOT which tends to support their contention that the crack was not there when they examined it.

Is it possible a pin head crack was present and not detected?. The effect of moving the car to another location, maybe over rough ground and or after washing off and parking in strong sunlight may have activated and caused the bigger crack.

The Garage deny any responsibility so if you are to pursue a claim against them you will need more than your word against them to get them to pay. Evidence.

As stated it may well be that if you have comprehensive insurance cover it will include windscreen replacement and which may not affect your claims record.

As to driving a vehicle with a crack in the windscreen this could be an offence of using a vehicle in such condition as likely to cause danger depending on size and shape of crack.

dvd

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Fri 13 Aug 2010 13:00
Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen - LucyBC
If the damage was not there when you took the vehicle in and happened in their care then the claim should be on their insurance not yours. Push the point.
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Mon 16 Aug 2010 13:59
Daewoo Matiz - Cracked Windscreen - Green7

Thank you all for your advice. The situation has now been resolved as they accepted liability and replaced the windscreen free of charge.

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