MOT Changes...

[//j17]

Just reading the article on the latest MOT changes (http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=25433) and a couple in there that may be a worry for those of us driving classics.

Steering
If your car has a steering lock mechanism fitted as standard, it needs to be present and operational.

Well my Spitfire had a steering lock when new but not by the time I bought it and not for the last 15 years!

Electrics
An insecure or leaking battery is grounds for failure, likewise visible wiring which is damaged or insecure.

Seats
The driver's seat must be able to be secured fore and aft in two or three different positions. Electric motor-driven seats need to move fore and aft.

Anyone else have seat runners that rusted solid years ago...?

[garagewidow]

i doubt many testers would know if your car had a lock as 'standard' when it was made.tell them it was an optional extra at the time.you might get away with it.
the seats are a tricky one,if you were to make the seat permanently fixed in your preferred position,then by definition the seat has no adjustment and therefore no fore/aft movement to be checked.
i think there is a dispensation for 'race' seats in a road legal race car for this very reason.

[pingu393]

I have a Smart that doesn't have a steering lock as the key is in the centre console, so was concerned about the steering lock issue.

I was told by my tester that the steering lock was not the ignition lock, but the steering bump stops that are mainly fitted to 4x4s.

[greeneggsnsam]

I have no idea if my Spitfire has a steering lock, what does it even mean? Is what pingu393 says true?

[andyroo]

I hate it when mechanics fiddle with my carefully adjusted seat position - now it's the law to do it

[aw51 121565]

"Operational steering lock" is only an MoT requirement on 2001-on cars, from memory.

And don't panic - the "extra working lights" only refer to those cars with the affected systems fitted .

An MoT generally relates to the age of the car and the standards it was built/designed to; they don't generally need to meet "modern" requirements if these weren't applicable when the car was new .

EDIT: it's cars first used on or after 1st September 2001 that need the steering lock to 'work' .

Edited by aw51 121565 on Wednesday 28th March 19:13