MOT failure under the new rules.

[brucemillar]

Folks

I see lots of debate and discussion about the "new" MOT test.

My experience may help some.

Took my C55 for it's MOT last week. The place I use is modern, clean and known to be thorough. The MOT all my cars but do not do the mechanical's.

So. Xenon Headlights. On my 55 these are factory fit and have the washers and self levelers.

My car failed on the washers.

OSF washer not functioning.
NSF washer not functioning.

The pump was knackered. A new pump now fitted.

The leveling system was checked. You can watch them test your car on huge widescreen telly.

I asked the tester about the rules for xenons and he was clear.

If the car is designated as having xenons it must have working washers and levelers.

As to the car having aftermarket xenons? This was not so clear. As the car may not have washers or levelers to test. They may not fail the car on a feature that it doesnt have to test.

So as I understand it. If you have it. It can be tested and failed. If you dont have it. It cant be tested so would pass.

 

[Druk]

So how about factory Xenons and deleted washers which mine has?

MOT guy reckoned that since there was no evidence of them having been fitted he couldn't test something that wasn't there. Pass.




.

 

[brucemillar]

So how about factory Xenons and deleted washers which mine has?

MOT guy reckoned that since there was no evidence of them having been fitted he couldn't test something that wasn't there. Pass.




.

And there you have it..(or not)

On the Pajero Forum you get a lot of people who remove the rear jumps seats for off roading. They have then failed the MOT for seat belts that cannot fasten (the clasp is attached to the seat). So even though you have no seats you fail because you have belts that cannot fasten.

Most then cut off the belts or re-fit the seats just for the MOT. Bonkers.

It does appear that if you have ebay xenons with no levelers or washers then this is not fail. The key words being NO WASHERS and NO LEVELERS. You cant test what is not there.

 

[baxlin]

To take things further, my JZR has no wipers (I look over the screen), no washers, no 4-way flashers, no de-mister and no front number plate (although this requirement is changing, and I'll refit it before the next MoT).

What it doesn't have can't be tested....

Also, the John Cobb Napier Railton land speed record car seen at Kop Hill recently, is now claimed to be road legal, with the only light I could see being the brake light, no headlights, nor sidelights, also no mudguards, which I thought it should have, so presumably again what it doesn't have etc.............

 

[Charles Morgan]

Yes folks the new MOT system is barking.

I am deliberately buying a non abs non airbag car to avoid future fails. My Allard doesn't need an MOT at all, no seatbelts, airbags, disc brakes, crumple zones, dual brake circuits, catalytic converter, mirrors, ABS etc, merely a steering wheel that points at my heart. It would pass though if it did need one without any of the above (it actually did pass last year with a defective brake master cylinder - how safe is that?). A single airbag not working on a modern car with every other safety item functional, that is not roadworthy.

Bonkers.

I conclude the MOT is now designed to remove viable 10 year old cars from the roads by making it too expensive to keep them there. Road safety, not a bit.

 

[Peter Hill]

I have a 2012 B Class with the expensive 'intelligent light system'. It works fairly well on open roads and motorways, on twisty British 'B' roads it is crap, I normally switch it to manual control.

The car has never had headlamp sprays, nor wipers. It does all that waving the beam around before settling at a level, and I do believe it has HID lights.

Does any one have any comprehensive information, MB seem to be rather reticent. I thought that it would have the headlight wipers and sprays...

P.

 

[C240Sport97]

if Xenons are under a certain lumens (I think it's 2000), you don't need washers/wipers.

For example, the Boxster 981S has Xenons as standard, but no washers/wipers.

 

[flango]

if Xenons are under a certain lumens (I think it's 2000), you don't need washers/wipers.

For example, the Boxster 981S has Xenons as standard, but no washers/wipers.

Same with Subaru, My legacy spec B had xenons but no washers or wipers

 

[m1br]

Folks

So as I understand it. If you have it. It can be tested and failed. If you dont have it. It cant be tested so would pass.

Not quite.

If you don't have it but you should have it- its a fail.
Some Xenon lamps should have both of the above.
So their absence is an automatic fail.
It's not ambiguous.

 

[m1br]

Same with Subaru, My legacy spec B had xenons but no washers or wipers

Sure that's not because its simply a JDM import that has just escaped the 'net' ?

 

[flango]

Sure that's not because its simply a JDM import that has just escaped the 'net' ?

No bought new from Subaru dealer UK spec and UK type approved, My Impeza doesn't have washers or wipers either but has xenons, as far as I know no scoobies do

 

[l5foye]

In N. Ireland , after market xenons with no washers or auto levelling = MoT fail. I asked a friend in Glasgow -was it any different there? Answer-No .So I am wondering if it is down to different MoT test stations' interpretations of the rules.

 

[Aitch55]

No bought new from Subaru dealer UK spec and UK type approved, My Impeza doesn't have washers or wipers either but has xenons, as far as I know no scoobies do

UK, Turbo 2000s i.e. pre MY 2001 had washers but not xenons. JDMs didn't have washers.

 

[GP801]

In the last month both our SLK and CLK have passed MOTs. Both have factory xenons and washers. On neither car did they actually test the washers. Different testing stations too. Clearly a lot of variation in the interpretation of the rules and the actual testing.

 

[Spinal]

IIRC, Subarus (and a few other cars) with xenons but no washers and levellers got through because of type approval on the model.

aftermarket xenons are a different matter...

 

[Doodle]

Not quite.

If you don't have it but you should have it- its a fail.
Some Xenon lamps should have both of the above.
So their absence is an automatic fail.
It's not ambiguous.

Where does it say this in the MoT test guide?

I've copied the relevant part of section 1.7 out below. It's definitely not ambiguous, but not in the way you suggest.

Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.

Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems. In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given.

Method of Inspection - Where HID or LED dipped beam headlamps are fitted, switch on the headlamps and check the operation of any headlamp levelling and cleaning devices fitted.

 

[flango]

That's spot on, for example if the washers and wipers had been removed from a OEM xenon equipped car, then they would be non existant so you couldn't test them but it would not be reason for a failure.

Aftermarket HID usually fail the test on Beam kick up and beam break point, but not sure how many testers pay real attention to this bit, I suspect not many.

 

[boxbrownie]

So basically if you have aftermarket HiDs fitted and they comply with beam accuracy on the machine they are legal according to those rules?

 

[flango]

So basically if you have aftermarket HiDs fitted and they comply with beam accuracy on the machine they are legal according to those rules?

No here you are confusing the MOT test and law, so lets take them one at a time.

MOT Test

An aftermarket HID kit will never pass the beam test if the tester tests to the strict letter of the manual but most of them don't. The only chance it has of passing is in projector style headlights. A kit fitted to a reflector unit designed to accept halogen bulbs will never pass. Also there is a brightness check which is very rarely done again aftermarket would be a fail if in a halogen unit. At the moment Construction and Use regulations are not covered under the MOT but that will change shortly and then aftermarket HID will be an automatic fail.

Legality

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

It is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules of such devices.

Also I don't know of any insurance companies that will cover you when aftermarket HID is fitted. In the event of recovering an accident damaged car the first question the Insurance company's ask the garage is, are there any modifications specifically, wheels and lighting that differ to OEM fitment. They also ask and pay for ECU checks to determine if the car was remapped.

Hope that helps

 

[Spinal]

No here you are confusing the MOT test and law, so lets take them one at a time.

MOT Test

An aftermarket HID kit will never pass the beam test if the tester tests to the strict letter of the manual but most of them don't. The only chance it has of passing is in projector style headlights. A kit fitted to a reflector unit designed to accept halogen bulbs will never pass. Also there is a brightness check which is very rarely done again aftermarket would be a fail if in a halogen unit. At the moment Construction and Use regulations are not covered under the MOT but that will change shortly and then aftermarket HID will be an automatic fail.

Legality

Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is an offence to supply, fit or use vehicle parts which are not legal.

It is not permitted to convert an existing halogen headlamp unit for use with HID bulbs. The entire headlamp unit must be replaced with one designed and approved for use with HID bulbs and it must be installed in accordance with the rules of such devices.

Also I don't know of any insurance companies that will cover you when aftermarket HID is fitted. In the event of recovering an accident damaged car the first question the Insurance company's ask the garage is, are there any modifications specifically, wheels and lighting that differ to OEM fitment. They also ask and pay for ECU checks to determine if the car was remapped.

Hope that helps

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