Windscreen crack

[A900ss]

A stone has just hit my windscreen and caused a crack about 8 inches long. I’ve got a 2,500 mile road trip next week around Switzerland planned and I can’t get the screen replaced before then.

I’m fairly sure that the crack will get longer overtime, but the windscreen should remain intact.I’m just checking that is correct and that I can get the windscreen replaced in three weeks time when I come back,

Comments really welcome.

Thanks.

[JagYouAre]

8 inches sounds like quite a large crack - anything over 40mm is an MOT fail, I'd be wary of driving with that (especially on a long road trip) as at least in this country you can end up with points/fine if it's deemed to make the car in dangerous condition (or obscuring your view).

Guess it depends to a certain extent where abouts on the windscreen it is.

[brillomaster]

thats really awful timing... i'd really want it to be fixed, guessing switzerland will be quite nippy this time of year, which will only make a cracked windscreen worse with the heat cycles.

i'd really try and get it sorted before you go. a chip is one thing, but an 8 inch crack?

if you didnt get it sorted i suspect local police would also object to you driving round with a massive crack in the windscreen... expect a couple of hefty fines...

[A900ss]

Unfortunately there is zero chance of getting it replaced before I go as no windscreens in the country for this.

(A Class motorhome)

[bishop finger]

I had a screen crack that started small which when using the demister in cold weather it propagated the entire length of the screen. Literally exploded in half

[normalbloke]

bishop finger said:

I had a screen crack that started small which when using the demister in cold weather it propagated the entire length of the screen. Literally exploded in half

An explosion? Literally?

[bishop finger]

normalbloke said:

An explosion? Literally?

Depends by your definition. Loud bang, glass on the dash. LITERALLY!!!1

[ARHarh]

It will be fine, they are a laminated, made up of glass, plastic, glass, you would be very unlucky if it caused you any issues. It will be un-roadworthy though (technically) but no one will know how long the crack has been there, if any one asks just say it happen 10 minutes ago.

Enjoy your trip.

[Raptor7000r]

A900ss said:

A stone has just hit my windscreen and caused a crack about 8 inches long. I’ve got a 2,500 mile road trip next week around Switzerland planned and I can’t get the screen replaced before then.

I’m fairly sure that the crack will get longer overtime, but the windscreen should remain intact.I’m just checking that is correct and that I can get the windscreen replaced in three weeks time when I come back,

Comments really welcome.

Thanks.

My friend drove his car 2500 miles UK to Spain with a smaller crack and that was OK in Summer, however yours sounds bigger and its winter, could you look at getting a replacement abroad?

[Glassman]

For those advising to get it replaced before the trip, what if this happened while the OP was on that trip?

The outer layer of glass has cracked; there's a layer of PVB under that and another layer of glass. If it's not in your direct view of the road...

My van windscreen was cracked for several months before it was changed. Nobody came to any harm.

[A900ss]

It’s either go or cancel all plans.

It’s an A Class motorhome windscreen. Takes about 6 weeks to order as not on shelf.

Thanks.

[blueg33]

A stone hit my screen last week - the crack is at least 1.5m long. I have driven the car 800 miles since with no problems. Waiting for a new screen to come into stock.

[Little Pete]

I MOT a Mercedes Sprinter that has a crack around 20" long from the nearside edge about a quarter of the way up the windscreen. That has never gotten any worse in three years and around 120,000 miles.

[s p a c e m a n]

I've driven around with a crack the full length of the screen for months and didn't die. As said, they're laminated, the worst that will happen is that a couple tiny shards of glass will fall out if you bang your fist on the windscreen.

If you get pulled for being foreign just say that it happened half an hour ago, you'll be in a cold country so totally believable