do they test sidelights in the MOT?

[Thatch]

just put my dashboard all together, and realised the chuffing sidelights aren't working! do you think they'll let me off?

[Steffan]

Yes they should fail the car.

However nor every MOT tester spots every fault. You could try and go for a retest if it fails just on Sidelights. But it SHOULD fail.

[yellowgriff]

Before you pull the dash board back out, test if youve got live to bulb holders on the side lights,
Could just be the bulbs gone & you havent noticed before,,

[Thatch]

yellowgriff said:

Before you pull the dash board back out, test if youve got live to bulb holders on the side lights,
Could just be the bulbs gone & you havent noticed before,,

good point.

unlikely to be the bulbs, as neither is working. I will check fuse first (although i'm not sure if side lights are on their own fuse or not)

I did fit a new side light indicator bulb on the dash (it was missing for some reason) and ironically that works fine!!!

[gavgavgav]

Are your dash and cig lights working when you press the button? That button has 2 outputs, one for the dash and one for hte lights. For me the switch failed on the lights circuit, even thought the dash lit up the side lights outside were off (rear and front).

There was something else that I checked as well after searching from here, there is a multi-plug which can cause a similar issue, which is behind the carpet next to the passenger seat/ door pillar.

[Thatch]

This is very annoying!

The rear side lights and dashboard indicator lights are working, but both front sidelights aren't!

So it cant be the fuse or the switch, unlikely for both front side light filaments to go at the same time, so what's gone wrong?

do the front and rear side light have independent circuits?

I'm at a loss!

[yellowgriff]

Check if youve got live at the holders.. Have seen both bulbs go at same time before...

[Thatch]

gavgavgav said:

...There was something else that I checked as well after searching from here, there is a multi-plug which can cause a similar issue, which is behind the carpet next to the passenger seat/ door pillar.

Sounds interesting! I will have a dig around there as that would make sense if the front and rear light circuits branch somewhere.

Other than that - it sounds like i will have to get under the wheel arches and check the live feed to the bulb (as Yellow griff suggests) - I hate the hassle it takes to get to the headlight bulbs!!!!

[Thatch]

yellowgriff said:

Check if youve got live at the holders.. Have seen both bulbs go at same time before...

Thanks Yellow.

Do I have to get into the lights via the hatch in the front wheel arch to do this?

Andrew

[yellowgriff]

Im sure you do....

[Thatch]

Well i can confirm they do check side lights at the MOT - fail!!!
it also failed on headlight alignment!

So the garage sorted the alignment, and checked the front side light bulbs at the same time - both bulbs OK.

So i have a weekend of taking the dash out again and tracing the cable/connectors - Ho Hum!!!


Anyone know where the front and rear sidelight circuits split? (still cant work out why the rear should work when the front dont!)


cheers