Chipped or cracked windscreen: repair or replace?

Chip or crack: what's on your windscreen#

A windscreen is two layers of glass bonded with a film between them. A stone thrown up from the road usually leaves a chip: a dot, a star or a small half-moon in the outer layer. A crack is a line that starts from a chip or from the edge of the glass and can grow over time.

• Temperature swings speed up cracking: hot air on full blast against a frozen screen, cold water on glass heated by the sun.
• Vibration and potholes also work on weakened glass.
• Dirt and water get into the chip and make a repair harder and more visible.

Until you get to the fitter, keep the chip away from sudden temperature changes and high-pressure car washes. A piece of clear tape over it keeps it clean for a few days.

What RNTR 1 accepts on the windscreen at the ITP#

The regulations for the periodic technical inspection (RNTR 1) divide a car's windscreen into two zones: the area swept by the wipers and the rest of the windscreen outside it. In the wiper area, which is exactly where you look when you drive, the limits are much stricter.

Air bubbles between the layers of the windscreen also count as damage. Anything beyond these limits is a windscreen defect and can get the car failed at the ITP, so sort it out before you book. What else is checked at the test is in the ITP guide.

The zone that matters most is the one the wipers clear: there, RNTR 1 accepts a single mark the size of a 10 mm circle. A chip repaired early often saves you a new windscreen.

When a chip can be repaired#

In a repair, the windscreen specialist cleans the chip, injects a clear resin and cures it. The aim is to stop the damage spreading and make the spot clearer; a faint mark usually remains. Whether it can be repaired is the technician's call, once they've seen the glass. What matters:

• Size and shape: a small, clean chip repairs better than a star with many legs.
• Position: near the edge the glass is under more stress, and in front of the driver even a small mark can be distracting.
• Age: a fresh chip with no dirt in it has the best chance.
• Cracks: a crack that has already grown is rarely repaired; most of the time the windscreen is replaced.

What to ask when the windscreen is replaced#

1. Which windscreen they fit: original or equivalent, with the same features (rain sensor, heating, camera mount). The chassis number (VIN) usually settles the equipment.
2. How soon you can drive off: the adhesive needs time to set, and the fitter tells you how long, depending on the product used.
3. Whether the car has a camera behind the windscreen and who calibrates it (see below).
4. What guarantee they give on the fitting, for example if leaks or wind noise appear (see what a repair warranty covers).

The windscreen camera: calibration after replacement#

Many newer cars have a camera behind the rear-view mirror for the driver assistance systems (ADAS): lane keeping, automatic emergency braking, traffic sign recognition. The camera looks through the windscreen, so after a replacement the carmaker often requires it to be calibrated, so the systems read the road correctly.

• Ask beforehand whether the fitter does the calibration or sends you to a garage that does, and whether it's included in the price.
• The procedure comes from the carmaker: in the workshop with special targets, or during a test drive. Not every car needs the same thing.
• If a warning appears for lane assist or automatic braking after the replacement, go back to the fitter.

Who pays: CASCO or the at-fault driver's RCA#

• An accident with another vehicle, the other driver at fault: their RCA insurer (RCA is Romania's compulsory third-party motor insurance) pays. The steps are in the guide on what to do after an accident.
• You have CASCO (comprehensive cover): check whether the policy covers glass, what excess applies and whether you must use a particular fitter. For a stone from the road, where nobody knows who's at fault, CASCO is usually the only option.
• No cover for glass: you pay, so it's worth comparing the price of a repair with that of a new windscreen.

On an RCA claim, the damage is assessed by the insurer's claims assessor, who draws up the assessment report. Photograph the windscreen and notify the insurer before the glass is replaced, so you don't lose the proof of damage.

How CariX helps with your windscreen#

In the free driver account you find the fitter, keep track of deadlines and have your insurance documents to hand:

• Search by service and city: see windscreen specialists with opening hours, services with price ranges and reviews only from customers after a finished job. A booking request needs just a name and a phone number.
• "Is the price fair?" shows an indicative price range for the service in your city, from the prices businesses show on CariX; the real price depends on the car and the windscreen.
• Your CASCO and RCA policies go in with the car's documents, with the policy number, insurer and a photo or PDF, so you can quickly see what they cover.
• An ITP reminder by email 30, 14 and 7 days and 1 day before it expires, so you have time to sort out the windscreen before the test.