MOT Q - minimum interior

[pfnsht]

Hi,

My car is running out of MOT this weekend and has just had work finished at the bodyshop. By the time I'm able to collect it I'll need to take it straight to MOT.

The problem I have is that I stripped the interior for the bodyshop so it just has its dash, drivers seat and belt, door pull handled and electric window switches installed.

The passenger seat belt is installed but no belt.

What minimum interior do i need to pass an MOT? I'll be taking the car to a local MOT garage to the bodyshop and have not relationship with them.

Cheers
Matt

[GT6k]

I think you have to have all the seat belts in to check their function. My local garage required my people carrier to have all the removable seats fitted for test and my Cerbera failed because I had fitted one of the rear seat buckles In an orientation the didn't allow it to be used.

[craigjm]

You need all the seats and belts installed on top of what you mention as a minimum

[Cat]

craigjm said:

You need all the seats and belts installed on top of what you mention as a minimum

The MOT manual disagrees with you.

MOT Inspection Manual said:

7.1.2. Seat belt fitment and condition
You must check any visible parts of:

all seat belts fitted
all child seat restraints fitted

You do not need to inspect:

a belt fitted with no corresponding seat
a buckle or stalk with no corresponding belt

Cat

[pfnsht]

Cheers, I was looking around the manual and thanks Cat I've managed to find it on the government site. Looks like I will be OK

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-...

[craigjm]

The car has to have the seats in it and as the manual says if there is a seat there needs to be a belt. You cannot take a car for an MOT with no seats which is what the original post was suggesting

[geeks]

craigjm said:

The car has to have the seats in it and as the manual says if there is a seat there needs to be a belt. You cannot take a car for an MOT with no seats which is what the original post was suggesting

The OP clearly says it has a drivers seat and belt!

For those saying a car has to have all of it's seats, that is clearly BS, those of us with race cars that have MOT's and when we go for said MOT only have one bucket seat in place and a harness can testify as such!

[Cat]

craigjm said:

The car has to have the seats in it and as the manual says if there is a seat there needs to be a belt. You cannot take a car for an MOT with no seats which is what the original post was suggesting

Sorry but you are wrong. There is nothing in the MOT test manual which says a missing passenger seat is a reason to fail a vehicle. If you think there is then post a link to the relevant part.

The car needs a driver's seat. There is no requirement for any other seats.

Read this from DVSA

In particular :

"Similarly, if a seat has been removed, any corresponding seatbelt and associated components, such as a pretensioner, would also not be considered testable items."

The article is clear that removal of a passenger seat will only be a fail if it causes other issues, for example, the SRS MIL to activate.

Cat

[magpie215]

My Galaxy goes in for test minus the 5 rear seats every year.....never an issue.

[dhutch]

Presumably if tested without a passenger seat, say, they could put an advisory it wasn't tested? Maybe?

Like the advisories which state 'plastic fill covered fitted' for instance?

Daniel

[pfnsht]

Cheers guys, this gives me more wriggle room as I've got a lot on at the mo and will likely miss the MOT due date. I had planned to drive from Bodyshop straight to MOT bay but didn't want to be in the position where a test couldn't be done.

Another MOT question now I have the discussion. I've got another car that has a hole the size of my finger at the rear of the sill .The car has sat for a bit and the drain channel at the bottom of the arch has corroded and just underneath there is a finger sized rot gap.

I will fix properly but wondering if it is actually an MOT fail.

[magpie215]

pfnsht said:

Cheers guys, this gives me more wriggle room as I've got a lot on at the mo and will likely miss the MOT due date. I had planned to drive from Bodyshop straight to MOT bay but didn't want to be in the position where a test couldn't be done.

Another MOT question now I have the discussion. I've got another car that has a hole the size of my finger at the rear of the sill .The car has sat for a bit and the drain channel at the bottom of the arch has corroded and just underneath there is a finger sized rot gap.

I will fix properly but wondering if it is actually an MOT fail.

The weakened area will be much bigger than the hole you can see.

If its within 30cm of a suspension mount or seatbelt anchorage it will fail.

[Drawweight]

I'm sure there's an 'ask an MOT tester' thread on here somewhere.

[dhutch]

magpie215 said:

within 30cm of a suspension mount or seatbelt anchorage

This is the key bit imo.

[dhutch]

pfnsht said:

Cheers guys, this gives me more wriggle room as I've got a lot on at the mo and will likely miss the MOT due date. I had planned to drive from Bodyshop straight to MOT bay but didn't want to be in the position where a test couldn't be done.

Given the car is presumably currently off the road and not being used. Does it matter if the MOT is done now or in a free weeks time? Or is it in part about getting the car from the bodyshop home without using transport.

Daniel

[Little Pete]

Having no passenger seats isn’t an issue. I would advise they were missing at time of test but no more. If a seat is fitted it must have a seatbelt.
As for the hole, as has been mentioned if it’s within 30cm of a suspension component mount or seatbelt mount it will fail.