MOT Changes for 2012

[V8 GRF]

There have been a few discussions on various fora about the impending changes to the MOT that will start on January 1st 2012.

Most of the changes don't effect TVRs as we don't have such exotic items as Electronic Parking Brakes and ECS but there are one or two areas that will change that will effect some owners and those are the parts that refer to Lights and Exhaust systems.

Lighting

Products on the lens or light source that obviously reduce the light's intensity or change its colour will become a reason for failure – applies to front/rear position lamps, registration plate lamps, stop lamps, rear fog and direction indicators.

Headlight requirements are updated to take account of the particular characteristics of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps.


HID headlights can cause dazzle if they are dirty or aimed too high so car manufacturers must fit headlamp cleaning and levelling systems. A car will fail if a mandatory headlamp cleaning or levelling system is missing, doesn't work or is obviously defective.


Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with properly working washer and levelling systems.


If a headlamp bulb is not seated correctly the resulting beam pattern will be indistinct and this will result in a test fail.

Exhaust

A catalytic converter fitted as original equipment but missing will be a reason for failure.



As always it will depend on the individual tester but with the ever more strict guidelines being enforced on MOT stations it's less likely that a tester will turn a blind eye so it would appear that owners who have fitted HIDs will need to comply with the regulations and either fit self levelling/wash systems or remove them for the test or altogether.

The same would appear to be the same for Cats although I think many owners already re-fit them for the test.

The full list of changes can be seen on this link to the AA website HERE

[carsy]

I have the double headlights as in this thread. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... Are these HID. I`m hoping not but fear they maybe.

Edited by carsy on Tuesday 20th December 18:04

[RedSpike66]

I seem to remeber somethread about opening or not opening the bonnet for MOTs, and I would presume tester will need to open the bonnet to check whether I have after market HIDs fitted (unless there is a way to tell just by looking through the lens.... (surely he's not allowed to 'guess' ??)

[V8 GRF]

The small 'projector' type HID's are visually different to normal headlights and a good bit smaller aren't they? That said I'd have thought the colour and brightness would give them away?

[TV8]

I will claiming cats in manifolds and putting my old AFM back on that runs lean!

Shame the administration doesn't put as much effort in on the people outside of the system as it does clamping down on those within it.

[Jasper Gilder]

Can't believe it will affect the lights on my Sag, they're rubbish on dip!

[alex_gray255]

I seem to remember there were waivers for HIDs fitted at factory that did not meet the requirements if they were fitted prior to the requirements coming out.

Yeah, well, just get the HIDs modified to fit the requirements I suppose... I'll worry about it more nearer the time once the specs and how they are implemented in the real world are clearer.

[ViperDave]

Its a shame the op has mentioned lots of discussion on the fora about these changes but doesn't appear to have read any of it, as on PH at least the consensus in the end has been that there is no actual requirement in the MOT for a leveling and washing device on HID lights. But if leveling and washers are fitted then they have to work. In addition if the tester cant determine if fitted or working then they are to give benefit of doubt so there is no reason for failure.

[V8 GRF]

ViperDave said:

Its a shame the op has mentioned lots of discussion on the fora about these changes but doesn't appear to have read any of it, as on PH at least the consensus in the end has been that there is no actual requirement in the MOT for a leveling and washing device on HID lights. But if leveling and washers are fitted then they have to work. In addition if the tester cant determine if fitted or working then they are to give benefit of doubt so there is no reason for failure.

I didn't write the bits in italics in my original post, they are extracts from the new MOT requirements and clearly state that:

Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with properly working washer and levelling systems

So it's a shame that you haven't read my post fully as the CHANGE in the regulations states the above. Unfortunately PH contributors do not set or indeed enforce the regulations and while the consensus may have been correct before the new regulations that grey area has now been eliminated it would seem.

While self levelling may well be difficult to determine if fitted washers aren't so if they're not present or by default not working they'll be likely to fail you.

Discussion here or anywhere won't change the facts if MOT stations start failing cars with aftermarket HIDs fitted without the required levelling and washing.

Edited by V8 GRF on Tuesday 20th December 20:38

[ViperDave]

V8 GRF said:

ViperDave said:

Its a shame the op has mentioned lots of discussion on the fora about these changes but doesn't appear to have read any of it, as on PH at least the consensus in the end has been that there is no actual requirement in the MOT for a leveling and washing device on HID lights. But if leveling and washers are fitted then they have to work. In addition if the tester cant determine if fitted or working then they are to give benefit of doubt so there is no reason for failure.

I didn't write the bits in italics in my original post, they are extracts from the new MOT requirements and clearly state that:

Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with properly working washer and levelling systems

So it's a shame that you haven't read my post fully as the CHANGE in the regulations states the above. Unfortunately PH contributors do not set or indeed enforce the regulations and while the consensus may have been correct before the new regulations that grey area has now been eliminated it would seem.

While self levelling may well be difficult to determine if fitted washers aren't so if they're not present or by default not working they'll be likely to fail you.

Discussion here or anywhere won't change the facts if MOT stations start failing cars with aftermarket HIDs fitted without the required levelling and washing.

Edited by V8 GRF on Tuesday 20th December 20:38

Can you post the link to the regulations that state that then. The proposed MOT Testers manual certainly doesn't and this is what has been discussed a lot on PH along with other out dated pen documents and dodgy media reports.

So no its not PH trying to write the MOT regs, we are just actually reading the manual that the testers will, indeed on some of the threads have had input from testers saying it wont be a problem.

Edited by ViperDave on Tuesday 20th December 20:59

[chris52]

If you have a look at the first post you will see the link you ask for

[ViperDave]

chris52 said:

If you have a look at the first post you will see the link you ask for

Nope, that's a link to the dodgy AA article not the proposed MOT testers manual that has been discussed numerous times on PH

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20Inspec...

[V8 GRF]

I posted the link to the AA pages as they seemed to be the clearest and simplest interpretation of the new rules as they may effect TVR owners who've modded their cars. However, I'd suggest that pedantic testers will apply the rules as stated in 1.7 of the document you linked to:

Namely

Information
Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system. Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems. In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given. Headlamp washers may work in conjunction with the windscreen washers (when the dipped beamheadlamps are switched on) or by a separate switch.

Method of inspection
Where HID or LED dipped beam headlamps are fitted, switch on the headlamps and check the operation of any headlamp levelling and cleaning devices fitted.

Reason for rejection
A headlamp levelling or cleaning device inoperative or otherwise obviously defective.


The washer element of the above test seems pretty unambiguous to me, but I did have a link to some advisory notes with regards to aftermarket HIDs but I can't find it or the thread I posted it in at the moment. I'll look again and update if/when I find it.

ETA

I still can't find the document I had but it appears the advice may have changed from the definite requirement to 'giving the benefit of the doubt and issuing an advisory'in this document issued by VOSA.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/technicalpen...

But looking on this forum for MOT testers it seems that as I suggested it will be down to the tester in question

http://forums.motester.co.uk/forum4/2189.html

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 21st December 01:30

[dvs_dave]

V8 GRF said:

Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system.

That's the key word right there. There's a big difference between may and must.

[heightswitch]

dvs_dave said:

That's the key word right there. There's a big difference between may and must.

And the words "Where fitted" !!

thus if not fitted then not tested!!
N.

[scotty_d]

Yes if you do not have washer or self leveling you will fail your MOT. I was speaking to my MOTer and fellow tvr owner when i had my Mini in a few weeks ago.

So i will be pulling my Hid's out the Cerb and going back to bulbs. Don't really drive much at night anyway.

[JR]

V8 GRF said:

may be ... Where such systems are fitted,

Fair play to you posting evidence that contradicts what you've been saying.

Having pie for Christmas?

[V8 GRF]

JR said:

Fair play to you posting evidence that contradicts what you've been saying.

Having pie for Christmas?

Always happy to post the truth

I guess the point is that the legislation and the various advisories do indeed contradict themselves so it appears that in some cases you'll get an MOT fail and in some cases the police will pull you and in other cases you won't and neither will they so I don't think there is a definitive answer at the moment.

I guess the proof of the pudding (or is that pie ) will be what happens when cars with retro-fit HIDs are presented for the MOT in January.

[V8 GRF]

heightswitch said:

dvs_dave said:

That's the key word right there. There's a big difference between may and must.

And the words "Where fitted" !!

thus if not fitted then not tested!!
N.

.... but the legislation and advisories contradict each other by saying in one place that they must be fitted and elsewhere where it says may

It'll all be down to interpretation on the ground.

[jagracer]

V8 GRF said:

I posted the link to the AA pages as they seemed to be the clearest and simplest interpretation of the new rules as they may effect TVR owners who've modded their cars. However, I'd suggest that pedantic testers will apply the rules as stated in 1.7 of the document you linked to:

Namely

Information
Vehicles equipped with High Intensity Discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with headlamp washers and a suspension or headlamp self levelling system. Where such systems are fitted, they must work; however, it is accepted that it may not be possible to readily determine the functioning of self levelling systems. In such cases, the benefit of the doubt must be given. Headlamp washers may work in conjunction with the windscreen washers (when the dipped beamheadlamps are switched on) or by a separate switch.

Method of inspection
Where HID or LED dipped beam headlamps are fitted, switch on the headlamps and check the operation of any headlamp levelling and cleaning devices fitted.

Reason for rejection
A headlamp levelling or cleaning device inoperative or otherwise obviously defective.


The washer element of the above test seems pretty unambiguous to me, but I did have a link to some advisory notes with regards to aftermarket HIDs but I can't find it or the thread I posted it in at the moment. I'll look again and update if/when I find it.

ETA

I still can't find the document I had but it appears the advice may have changed from the definite requirement to 'giving the benefit of the doubt and issuing an advisory'in this document issued by VOSA.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/technicalpen...

But looking on this forum for MOT testers it seems that as I suggested it will be down to the tester in question

http://forums.motester.co.uk/forum4/2189.html

Edited by V8 GRF on Wednesday 21st December 01:30

The problem is that some of the testers on there aren't reading the new manual, just quoting something VOSA published 9 months ago which is exactly what the AA copied. I posted on there and eventually gave up after someone who appears to be site admin insisted he was correct without looking at the new manual.

Edited by jagracer on Wednesday 21st December 10:24