Unusual MOT advisories

[Palfrem]

The Landcruiser passed its MOT today with one advisory

"Front number plate starting to delaminate. Vehicle identification not affected"

Anyone else had any interesting advisories?

 

[AMGeed]

I had an advisory in 2011 on my E280 showing a close to the limit rear tyre. It looked fine to me, and obviously was OK 12months later when the same garage passed it at the next MOT.

Also had a very pedantic MOT tester a few years back wanted to fail my Sierra Cosworth because I had a RS Owners Club badge placed above the tax disc. He said it obscured the view. A quiet word with the garage owner I knew quite well and a pass certificate was issued!

 

[bennesspipers]

Last year garage failed my car on n/side rear shocker, i went & bought a new one, & fitted it, only to find there was NOTHING wrong wi the old one, not even a smidge of a leak, so i went & rattled it on the managers glass table top ( leaving him some rust/muck, hehe) & got a refund on my MOT

 

[mct_cars]

I had loads on the S-Max a couple of years ago - "Engine covers obscuring engine", "Under Trays obscuring Components", "Vehicle's internal headlight adjuster altered to recheck lights" (can only assume they moved it from Auto to On!) and most strange "Passenger Seats missing at time of test" - the rear two seats where folded down but definitely not missing! Added to the two front tyres which were getting low it made quite a list!

I thought this was the way it was going to be from now on, but took it to a different garage this year and got none (the front tyres along with the rears were replaced by then).

 

[Spinal]

I get a few on my motorbike... interestingly, I don't get a proper printed advisory notice - but a handwritten one!

Advisories I've had (to the best of my memory) were:
- exhaust too loud
- fairing wrong colour
- fairing has wrong badges (after an accident, I swapped the fairing rather than getting it resprayed; ended up with 900ss badges on a 750ss)
- clutch level wrong length

I think the tested has a bit of fun with some of these...

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Both myself and my dads car had "engine parts behind panelling" WTF that's how it comes?

 

[Doodle]

Not advisories, but I did have a vehicle fail a test for "Damaged ABS wiring" and "ABS light inoperative".

As I explained to the sheepish-looking MoT tester, that would be because the vehicle didn't have ABS, and the wiring was for a brake pad wear sensor.

 

[Rory]

Both myself and my dads car had "engine parts behind panelling" WTF that's how it comes?

Just means they can't check for leaks etc as they're not allowed to dismantle anything.

Same as the "missing" seats above - mentioned as they can't test that they're locked in place or check the seat belts.


Was annoyed by "faded offside rear lens" on daughter's car a few months ago. It looked exactly the same as the nearside one and didn't look faded in any way.

 

[Spinal]

Just means they can't check for leaks etc as they're not allowed to dismantle anything.

Same as the "missing" seats above - mentioned as they can't test that they're locked in place or check the seat belts.


Was annoyed by "faded offside rear lens" on daughter's car a few months ago. It looked exactly the same as the nearside one and didn't look faded in any way.

That's also an old trick - if anything is leaking, corroded or worn, a little clay/mud over it before the test.

Dangerous and stupid, but some less-than-salubrious characters will get a car through an mot this way as they aren't allowed to remove the dirt...

 

[Rory]

That's also an old trick - if anything is leaking, corroded or worn, a little clay/mud over it before the test.

Dangerous and stupid, but some less-than-salubrious characters will get a car through an mot this way as they aren't allowed to remove the dirt...

They can refuse to test if it's too dirty.

Undersealing over dodgy welding is common though.

 

[Teflonso]

Had a failure on my daughter's Polo at first test, 17k miles for "needs new front discs and pads". I'd taken it to the supplying main dealer, just in case there was anything they found that needed sorting before the warranty ran out.

So I took it to a mate's garage and asked him to do the job same day for free re-test. He said there was nothing wrong, but fitted new pads anyway (originals were 1/4 worn). VW dealer failed it again.

So, we ran a dial gauge on both discs with a video recording and found none of the supposed warp. Disc thicknesses were like new. It went to another MOT testing station and they were briefed about the failure. Brake pressures and fluctuations for all four wheels were recorded during the test, which it passed with flying colours.

Back to VW dealer for refund of first MOT, cost of new pads & labour and £50 compo cheque. Since then it's passed another 4 tests, all first time and without brake problems, having hit 47k.

It wasn't the first time I'd caught that dealer inventing work. Previously, I'd had a major service for free after they'd tried to stick me with a near £300 job for front suspension arms that were "worn".

 

[baxlin]

I hadn't fitted any brake/clutch pedal rubbers on the JZR, and it was fine for 10 years plus, as, because of the fact there are no doors etc, the tester always had me in the car throughout the test - up on the hoist etc, so he never saw the pedals!

Then last year his boss looked at the car as it was waiting for the test, and saw bare pedals - "that's a fail then".

Fortunately once he knew the history, it was agreed to have it as an advisory - "non-slip covering on pedals deteriorating" went on the paperwork.

So I fitted rubbers, and guess what, this year they never looked at them.......

 

[Rory]

Had a failure on my daughter's Polo at first test, 17k miles for "needs new front discs and pads". I'd taken it to the supplying main dealer, just in case there was anything they found that needed sorting before the warranty ran out.

So I took it to a mate's garage and asked him to do the job same day for free re-test. He said there was nothing wrong, but fitted new pads anyway (originals were 1/4 worn). VW dealer failed it again.

As long as the vehicle passes the brake performance tests, they've got to be pretty bad to fail MOT on condition. You could have complained to VOSA - https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/problems-with-your-test-result - apparently the system works pretty well.

Back to VW dealer for refund of first MOT, cost of new pads & labour and £50 compo cheque. Since then it's passed another 4 tests, all first time and without brake problems, having hit 47k.

My daughter's SEAT (hmm...maybe this is a VAG thing) Ibiza failed at 4yrs due to rear brakes. Dealer said the drum brakes needed servicing but even though car was on a service contract I'd have to pay. I said if they need servicing they should be in the service schedule. Eventually SEAT UK refunded the cost.

 

[brucemillar]

I am a member of the Pajero Owners Club (POCUK)

Off roaders often remove the rear seats from their trucks including the (7seat) jump seats. The site is now filling up with MOT failures saying the the rear seat belts cannot be fastened. This is because the fastening is on the seat but the belt stays on the bulkhead.


Some have resorted to cutting the belts out. Others who wish to re-fit seats have had to make up new belt fixings.

 

[joecash]

Being of a certain age I am no longer amazed at the rogue garage practices. It does however show the necessity of finding and using a decent garage with competent people that charges a fair price and is straight in its dealings.

 

[Rory]

Being of a certain age I am no longer amazed at the rogue garage practices. It does however show the necessity of finding and using a decent garage with competent people that charges a fair price and is straight in its dealings.

Although it passed, the Service Advisor at the MB dealer I use sucked through his teeth a lot about my pitted front disks (I don't use the car much) and that they really ought to be replaced. I said "fine, ServicePlus will cover that". Suddenly they were OK, and didn't need changing at all!

 

[Dieselman]

Off roaders often remove the rear seats from their trucks including the (7seat) jump seats. The site is now filling up with MOT failures saying the the rear seat belts cannot be fastened. This is because the fastening is on the seat but the belt stays on the bulkhead.

A legitimate fail, then.

 

[brucemillar]

A legitimate fail, then.

Indeed it is.
But a fail for seatbelts that have no seats. Just tickled me

 

[davidjpowell]

Indeed it is.
But a fail for seatbelts that have no seats. Just tickled me

Not liking the sound of this. Am mid way installing 7 seats in the Merc and am in exactly this position.

 

[markjay]

Should not be too difficult to fit the seats back in place once a year for the MoT?

It is fair enough that the tester wants to be able check all the safety belts that are fitted to the car.