rear seatbelts and MOT

[gbbird]

Just purchased a second hand car (L reg, 1994 Mazda MX6), and i notice that the rear seatbelt anchors are not there, although the rear seatbelts are.

Is it a legal requirement for cars to have rear seatbelts fitted and working? Will the car pass it's MOT without them?

[Einion Yrth]

A quick google said:

Seatbelts The Nominated Tester will be checking that the seatbelts are mounted securely and that that the locking/release mechanism is working properly. The seatbelts must not be excessively frayed or cut. Your car must have rear seatbelts if it was registered after April 1st 1987. If it was registered before that date then seatbelts are not required to be fitted

[gbbird]

Cheers Sir looks like i will need to get some seatbelt anchors sorted

[Dwight VanDriver]

I think you will find Greg that there will anchorage points for the rear seats somewhere on the bodywork as the requirement under Reg 46 Con and Use Regs 1988 was that for motor cars first used after 1.4.82 then they had to be fitted with points for EVERY FORWARD facing seats. Pre 1.4.82 driver and front passenger seat only.

You say seat belts are present. At the back? What are they latched onto? Has the vehicle started life abroad?

dvd

[catso]

Dwight VanDriver said:

after 1.4.82 then they had to be fitted with points for EVERY FORWARD facing seats. Pre 1.4.82 driver and front passenger seat only.

Off topic but if a car seat is rear facing does it need seatbelts?

[AL666]

Just take the rear seats out for the MOT and then fix the seatbelts aferwards if you don't have time to do it before

[gbbird]

Dwight VanDriver said:

I think you will find Greg that there will anchorage points for the rear seats somewhere on the bodywork as the requirement under Reg 46 Con and Use Regs 1988 was that for motor cars first used after 1.4.82 then they had to be fitted with points for EVERY FORWARD facing seats. Pre 1.4.82 driver and front passenger seat only. You say seat belts are present. At the back? What are they latched onto? Has the vehicle started life abroad? dvd

The car is a 1994 UK Mazda, that's why i am a bit puzzled as to why there are no seatbelt anchors on the back seats. The seatbelts are present and are fine, and the gaps in the seats where the anchors shoud be are there, just no anchors.
Do seatbelt anchors have to be fitted by specialist garages?

[Einion Yrth]

I may be being a bit daft here, but are you sure the clips haven't just got folded under the seats?

[gbbird]

Einion Yrth said:

I may be being a bit daft here, but are you sure the clips haven't just got folded under the seats?

Thats exactly what i first thought - but after much rummaging around they don't appear to be hidden away anywhere

[gilbertd]

Are you saying someone has taken the seatbelt latches out? The anchors will be a couple of big threaded holes in the bodyshell that the latches bolt to. If this is the case, visit you local scrapyard armed with a 17mm spanner.