Rear windscreen wiper MOT fail?

[Bacon Is Proof]

Supercat said:

Thanks for the clarification - see my profile pick for why I was concerned!

Nice!

[snowdude2910]

Bacon Is Proof said:

The popular myth is that you don't have to have a spare but if you do it must be legal.
The truth is that you don't need a spare and if you do it can be as bald as coot/CW7 and you'll still pass as it's not a tested item.

really I didn't know that? but if you get pulled over and your spare is bold it is apparently treated the same as if you were using it as you have intent to use it or so I have been led to believe?

[Dark Helmet]

I was a bit surprised to be told my non-working reverse light wouldn't be an MOT failure!


DH

[Mojocvh]

I've had a tester fail the V70 for a Tesco mother/child round sticker on the inside of the windscreen up by the attachment for the rear view mirror.

Nice bloke.

[maniac0796]

Mojocvh said:

I've had a tester fail the V70 for a Tesco mother/child round sticker on the inside of the windscreen up by the attachment for the rear view mirror.

Nice bloke.

If it was sat in the swept area then it could be classed as obstruction of view, similar to that of a large stone chip on zone b. I've seen people get fails for having their sat navs in inaproproate places on the windscreen.

Rear wiper blade, function or washer are non testable, along with reverse lights, front fogs and airbags. All are advisable though.

[Kevin VRs]

snowdude2910 said:

really I didn't know that? but if you get pulled over and your spare is bold it is apparently treated the same as if you were using it as you have intent to use it or so I have been led to believe?

No you would not, unless you had the car jacked up and were in the process of changing it.

[PKLD]

I got a pass but with an advisory (and said it could have failed) because the rear wiper blade had a tear in the rubber?!?

[Tango13]

You would be supprised how little the average MOT inspector actually knows of the law.

I put a bike in for it's MOT for the inspector to try to fail it on its lack of indicators, I pointed out that he could only fail the bike if it had indicator switches but no indicators a point to which he grudgingly conceeded.

The following year I used a different MOT test station who knew the law and the indicator part of the test involved me flapping my arms while we both laughed knowing the stupidity of the law.

[jagracer]

Tango13 said:

You would be supprised how little the average MOT inspector actually knows of the law.

Knowing the law and knowing how to carry out the MOT test are unrelated, you'd be surprised how little the average lawyer knows of the MOT test

[Dangerous Dan]

Perd Hapley said:

Rear wiper not tested.

Not a fail even if it's there and broken.

I have always thought this. A previous car of mine had a rear wiper but it never worked during my ownership. Fuse or something.

Never mentioned when I had it MOT'd, and I owned it for 4 years (MOTd 3 times during my ownership).

[Mojocvh]

maniac0796 said:

Mojocvh said:

I've had a tester fail the V70 for a Tesco mother/child round sticker on the inside of the windscreen up by the attachment for the rear view mirror.

Nice bloke.

If it was sat in the swept area then it could be classed as obstruction of view, similar to that of a large stone chip on zone b. I've seen people get fails for having their sat navs in inaproproate places on the windscreen.

Sorry, my bad up, by and behind the rvm.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Clarification:

• Rear wiper is definitely not a tested and definitely CANNOT trigger a fail (except in some idiotic circumstance where it represents a danger to other people because it's sticking up and sharp).

• Spare tyre is definitely not a tested item but definitely CAN trigger a fail if the tester looks at it and decides it's unsafe.

So the two are similar, but a tyre is much more likely to be considered unsafe than a rear wiper!!

[oldcynic]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Clarification:

• Rear wiper is definitely not a tested and definitely CANNOT trigger a fail (except in some idiotic circumstance where it represents a danger to other people because it's sticking up and sharp).

• Spare tyre is definitely not a tested item but definitely CAN trigger a fail if the tester looks at it and decides it's unsafe.

So the two are similar, but a tyre is much more likely to be considered unsafe than a rear wiper!!

This is consistent with my experience - my V70 passed on Friday with a failed rear wiper. I've pulled the fuse because I'm sick of running to the back of the car and pushing the wiper back to 'parked' whenever I accidentally knock the switch. Eventually I will buy a new motor, but it's not worth spending money on until October or thereabouts.

[bobthepsycho]

Ozzie Osmond said:

• Spare tyre is definitely not a tested item but definitely CAN trigger a fail if the tester looks at it and decides it's unsafe.

You contradict yourself there - it is not testable but can fail?!

MOT manual says:
4.1 Tyres: This inspection applies to
Tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel.

i.e. an advisory only for spare wheels.

[jagracer]

bobthepsycho said:

You contradict yourself there - it is not testable but can fail?!

MOT manual says:
4.1 Tyres: This inspection applies to
Tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel.

i.e. an advisory only for spare wheels.

It can only fail if it is not attached properly, I.E. on an under slung or tailgate mounted spare.

[jagracer]

A lex said:

2. At the moment the integrity of the towbar is checked, but from next year the electrics will also be tested - this is going to be a Hornets nest IMO.

Only 13 pin plugs not 7 pin.

[Ozzie Osmond]

bobthepsycho said:

MOT manual says:
4.1 Tyres: This inspection applies to Tyres fitted to the road wheels only. The vehicle presenter should be informed when it is noticed that there is a defective tyre on a spare wheel.

i.e. an advisory only for spare wheels.

Thanks for the chapter and verse. I now agree. It's just this plus, as someone has said, a spare wheel which isn't securely attached to the vehicle can trigger a fail.