MOT defects · Windscreen, wipers and mirrors

Windscreen chipped or cracked MOT minor defect: what it means and which cars get it

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as a minor defect on at least 2.5 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Volkswagen Crafter got it most often: recorded 8.6 times per 100 of its 60,549 tests.

DVSA wording: Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view.

Minor defects

2.5 in 100

At least 838,476 tests in 2023

Most often

Volkswagen Crafter

8.6 per 100 tests

What it means

The windscreen or a window has a chip, crack or discolouring that does not affect the driver's view. It passes as a minor defect.

How serious it is

A minor defect, which passes. It becomes a major defect, a fail, if damage in the area in front of the driver (zone A, 290mm wide) is larger than 10mm, or larger than 40mm elsewhere in the area the wipers clear.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 3.2.

Major Fail
It may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately.
Minor Pass
No significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment. Repair as soon as possible.

What fixing it usually involves

Small chips can often be resin-repaired; cracks and damage in the driver's line of sight mean a new windscreen, and many cars then need the camera recalibrated.

A general guide, not a quote: ask a garage to inspect the car.

Which models get it most

Per 100 initial MOT tests on each model, among the 224 models with at least 20,000 tests where it is among the 40 most common items. DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail.

Model	Tests	Minor
Volkswagen Crafter	60,549	8.6
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	211,162	8.2
Peugeot Bipper	22,191	7.6
Ford Transit	951,359	7.4
Citroen Relay	63,380	7.3
Iveco Daily	38,031	7.0
Vauxhall Movano	51,019	6.7
Renault Master	70,230	6.7
Vauxhall Combo	107,867	6.4
Renault Trafic	125,608	6.3

What to check at a viewing

On the car
Look closely at the windscreen in front of the driver, and run the wipers to check the swept area.
In the MOT history
If this appears in past results, ask what was done and when, and for the receipt.

Check a specific car

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

Questions

What does "Windscreen chipped or cracked" mean on an MOT?

The windscreen or a window has a chip, crack or discolouring that does not affect the driver's view. It passes as a minor defect.

Windscreen chipped or cracked: is it an MOT fail?

Which cars are most likely to get "windscreen chipped or cracked" on an MOT?

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Volkswagen Crafter (8.6 per 100 tests), the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (8.2 per 100 tests), the Peugeot Bipper (7.6 per 100 tests).

More windscreen, wipers and mirrors defects

See every MOT defect we explain or MOT pass rates by model.

Windscreen chipped or cracked Wiper blade not clearing the screen Screen washers not working Mirror slightly damaged or loose

How these figures are made. We counted the defects recorded at every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 in the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Each item counts once per test. A failure is a major or dangerous defect, including one fixed during the test. A model's rate is the share of its tests where the item was recorded.

For each model we keep its 40 most frequent items, so a model where a defect is rarer than that is not listed, and figures for all cars are a floor. Defect names and explanations are ours, checked against the MOT inspection manual; DVSA's own wording is shown under each name.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.