MOT tinted windows given defect
Discussion
jrh406 said:
I have owned my E46 M3 for five years & the windows are as I bought it. It has been MOT'd each year without any issues.
This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
Post some pics of the defective windows...This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
Most windscreens come fitted close to the limit. If they have any tints added, chances are they are illegal.
Have you got a photo? Be interesting to see what they are like to look at.
Fine can be a £50 non endorsable ticket (might be £100) or if it's over a certain % it will be driving with a vehicle in a dangerous condition which can be points or vehicle prohibited.
Have you got a photo? Be interesting to see what they are like to look at.
Fine can be a £50 non endorsable ticket (might be £100) or if it's over a certain % it will be driving with a vehicle in a dangerous condition which can be points or vehicle prohibited.
Shaw Tarse said:
jrh406 said:
I have owned my E46 M3 for five years & the windows are as I bought it. It has been MOT'd each year without any issues.
This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
Post some pics of the defective windows...This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
Almost all cars, that come with a factory tint have it set to within a couple of the legal limit so adding any tint at all, will put it beyond that limit.
If you have a car, with totally clear, non tinted windows (i had a couple 90's ones) you can certainly add tint to the windows, however i had no luck in finding anywhere who could apply a light enough tint that would still keep it within the legal limit as film that light, wasn't a thing
If you have really dark tinted front windows on the car, police will usually go with an endorsable offence as the vehicle is deemed in a dangerous / unsafe condition.
If the front windows have a tint that's deemed illegal, but not dark enough to be dangerous i've seen people remove them there and than, and get just a fine or if not then still be allowed to go on their way but with a vehicle rectification notice along with a fine.
I heard a rumour, that because some police cars have a plastic film on the inside of the side windows to strengthen them that it actually caused these vehicles to fail the same test they perform on other cars suspected of having tints too dark
If you have a car, with totally clear, non tinted windows (i had a couple 90's ones) you can certainly add tint to the windows, however i had no luck in finding anywhere who could apply a light enough tint that would still keep it within the legal limit as film that light, wasn't a thing
If you have really dark tinted front windows on the car, police will usually go with an endorsable offence as the vehicle is deemed in a dangerous / unsafe condition.
If the front windows have a tint that's deemed illegal, but not dark enough to be dangerous i've seen people remove them there and than, and get just a fine or if not then still be allowed to go on their way but with a vehicle rectification notice along with a fine.
I heard a rumour, that because some police cars have a plastic film on the inside of the side windows to strengthen them that it actually caused these vehicles to fail the same test they perform on other cars suspected of having tints too dark
jrh406 said:
I have owned my E46 M3 for five years & the windows are as I bought it. It has been MOT'd each year without any issues.
This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
I have had cars in the past that had heavy tints on the rear and a slightly lower grade film fitted to the front. I wouldnt entertain fitting now and would remove if I bought a car with. You could argue the film would stop shattered glass going into the car but it would also make getting out the car very difficult should the need to break the window and escape.This year I took it to somewhere I hadn't been before & was told when I picked my car up that it had passed but I needed to
get the windows sorted. They told me that the law was changing & all windscreens & front windows are now not allowed any
tint. They started saying that the police could pull you over & demand the removal of any tinting on the front windows.
This was the first I'd heard of it & did some checking when I got home, in fact they are talking absolute bo**ox & the following rules apply
Vehicles first used on 1 April 1985 or later
The front windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through.
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
I just wondered whether anyone else had come across similar idiots ??
Many thanks
jrh406 said:
The point that really pissed me off was the fact that a registered MOT test station had arbitrarily given me 2 Defects on my car
without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
They don't need to, in the same way they don't have to measure the difference in structural strength if the sills are shot. without any recognised equipment to test the % of light through glass.
It's not "arbitrary", it's just a subjective call, but any film applied on the front windows is going to take you below 70%, seeing as the standard glass only passes about 75-80%.
Seeing as it passed the MOT I don't think you can appeal. If you're still not sure find a friendly plod and ask them to measure it for you
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