Hello all

a new owner and driver here.  I learnt many, many years ago, but never really needed to drive.  I decided this year was the year I turned that around, took a number of refresher lessons and bought myself a car; a beautiful Fiesta Titanium via Ford Direct in Blue wave.  It drives like a dream, better than my instructors' Yaris, I'm yet to find anything about it I don't like.

Today after only owning it a few weeks while I was cleaning the door mirrors and side windows I noticed a crack in the windscreen between the wiper and bonnet.  I remember hearing hearing a ding earlier today, but was shocked to see a long crack and impact site and felt pretty sick.  I now need to get the screen replaced (its too big for a repair), my insurance uses Auto Glass and I've tried booking an appointment, but it doesn't really give me any time to explain the specifics I have like auto wipers, driver assist, heated windscreen etc.  I don't want to be fobbed off with a screen that doesn't have the same facilities or impedes some from working.

Can anyone advise what I should specifically request if I phone?

Many thanks in advance, this site has been great in terms of upgrading the Sync 3 etc.

As far as I can see Autoglass will:

"When fitting a replacement windscreen, we make sure that the glass we use matches the specification of the original and is just as good. "

So if its heated then thats what you get.

 

Our calibration of any advanced driver assistance systems will be true and correct at the time of being performed and will not be the subject of our guarantee.

Thery will do their best to setup auto wipers, driver assist etc but won't guarantee it - so of you have any problems you'll need to take it to a Ford dealer.

 

I had one done by Autoglass on my Fiesta about 3 weeks ago. I was suprised there was nowhere to specify type (heated, with satnav, no auto wipers in my case). After i booked it I emailed them this info and they said they knew already.  Perhaps they look at Ford Etis which shows original spec of car.  When the fitter arrived I also made sure he had the right screen, which he did.

Years ago when i had a focus a different windscreen replacement firm turned up to fit new screen for me and they had wrong screen with them, luckily he had not done too much work before realising. 

 

However, when is your MOT due? I had mine done (18 inch crack on it ) because I needed to for the MOT but the crack was there for at least 9 months. It did not really affect my vision.

You will not be pleased if you replace it and pay your xs - mine was £95 - and then you get damage on your new one and have to pay again. So as far as I am concerned, don't replace unless you need to (MOT or affects your vision) . Windscreen firms like to scare people suggesting your car is unsafe if the windscreen has any damage on it - but of course they would say that as they want more money.

Yeah they know all the specs...and wouldn't fit the wrong screen to my Focus after a factory error (correct sticker on the wrong screen).

Basically I had the rare optional IR heat reflective glass but the new screen didn't...I said I didn't care, it doesn't make any difference anyway lol, but the fitter was adamant he wouldn't fit it.

Another fitter came with the correct screen but he broke the auto light and wiper sensor.

Another fitter came to confirm this.

Then finally another fitter came with a new sensor.

After all that hassle I kinda wished I'd left it lol.

The windscreen is structural tbf, but as long as you don't crash it'll be fine, my crack didn't even get bigger over a few months of icy temps and heated screen use.

 

Thanks all.  Its comforting to know that they would likely have the right screen, not so impressed that they could break the sensors.

Its on the passenger side below the wipers, can't see it from inside the car.  MOT not due for almost two years so that isn't the problem.

Its a new car (to me) and could net me a fine if spotted by the police, but given they are rarer than hens teeth it may be a none issue.  So ultimately its the safety issue and its my NEW CAR! 😍

if you can't see it when in the car I would not get it done. I'm not even sure if it can fail the MOT if you can't see it when in the car (perhaps an MOT tester reading this can comment). If you cant see it when in the car I can't see a policeman fining you, and you could say you didn't even know, which is possible if you cant see it from within the car. And I'm not sure what offence he would fine you under.

Under the new MOT regs anything over 40mm within the wipers swept area is a fail, so under the wipers should be ok, but some testers aren't getting that right either currently.

However as you don't need MOT for 2 years it's not a problem.  A policeman can't fine you for it unless it's affecting your vision.

As it's hidden, it might be worth leaving it for a while to see if it gets any bigger.

As the Mk8 hasn't been out long you might also find problems getting a screen, Mum had to wait ages for a screen to be shipped over from Japan when her fairly new Swift needed the screen replaced as there just weren't any over here and the aftermarket companies weren't making them so soon.