The ask an MOT tester thread

[gazza285]

Mr Tidy said:

Just curious, but how did the tester of my BMW E91 determine that is was "at operating temperature" for the emissions test last year given that it didn't have a temperature gauge?

And why did it get an advisory for worn rear brake pads when the OBC showed 22K miles?

Isn't the test supposed to reflect the performance on the day the car is tested, rather than it's potential longevity?

Or did I miss something? (Like revenue generation maybe).

Oil temperature probe.

OBC is inaccurate, a quick Google of the BMW forums will confirm this...

[M_A_S]

Mr Tidy said:

Just curious, but how did the tester of my BMW E91 determine that is was "at operating temperature" for the emissions test last year given that it didn't have a temperature gauge?

And why did it get an advisory for worn rear brake pads when the OBC showed 22K miles?

Isn't the test supposed to reflect the performance on the day the car is tested, rather than it's potential longevity?

Or did I miss something? (Like revenue generation maybe).

OBC measures distance, not pad wear.

[Benbay001]

Ive recently bought a US import and the rear fog light thats been added flashes (like a rain light) What do you think my chances are of getting it through an MOT?

[Baldchap]

Here's a question: I am always hearing that MOT testers can't remove anything or investigate beyond eyes and a gentle tap. Assuming this is true, if someone covered something that was excessively rusty and shouldn't be (say a structural area or a brake pipe or something), such that you couldn't see it at all, would you fail it, ask them to remove it or simply log it hadn't been tested?

[InitialDave]

Benbay001 said:

Ive recently bought a US import and the rear fog light thats been added flashes (like a rain light) What do you think my chances are of getting it through an MOT?

It's failed... no, it's passed... no, it's failed... no, it's passed...

[Athlon]

Mr Tidy said:

Just curious, but how did the tester of my BMW E91 determine that is was "at operating temperature" for the emissions test last year given that it didn't have a temperature gauge?

And why did it get an advisory for worn rear brake pads when the OBC showed 22K miles?

Isn't the test supposed to reflect the performance on the day the car is tested, rather than it's potential longevity?

Or did I miss something? (Like revenue generation maybe).

Emissions testing machine have either an oil temp dipstick or more usually now a dongle that plugs into the OBD port that reads oil temp and RPM.

Your OBC will never operate as accurately as the testers MK1 Eyeball. The OBC uses an algorithm to figure out how long fitted/how many miles allied to the pad wear sensor that trips when the pads are too low. The tester uses common sense and experience.

As for the last comment, the test has an advise in place on the scheme to let you know the pads are wearing down, it is not a random comment by the tester, it is there to help and guide the owner towards potential problems in the future.

So yes, yes you did miss something

[Lazadude]

stevemcs said:

Athlon said:

This! exactly this, if the washers are empty or the blades are totally finished that sets my alarm off and I fully expect the rest of the car to be poor, this is rarely proven incorrect.

I'll third that.

Funnily, I do all the oily bits etc on Wifes car, It ran out of screenwash whilst I was on the way to the MOT test (doesn't warn you that its low and the bottles hidden away so you cant see it. Therefore filling up is guess work, especially when it's shared use). Suppose that's one of the "rare" cases.

[Challo]

Last week I picked up a cheap E39 touring, with a brand new MOT. The MOT only had 2 advisories for worn rear tyres but nothing else. When driving the car its clear that the ARB bushes and droplinks need replacing as they knock very badly driving on normal roads.

Is this something that should have been picked up on the MOT?

[V10leptoquark]

Not sure if already been asked, but if an MOT tester puts an incorrect mileage on the report, is there an easy way to correct this?
And say if a month or so passes unnoticed, can it still be corrected?

(Recent car purchase enquiry raised a suspicion on a car that showed 95k when it probably should have been 55k - dealer said it was an MOT error which they couldn't correct).

[Little Pete]

Baldchap said:

Here's a question: I am always hearing that MOT testers can't remove anything or investigate beyond eyes and a gentle tap. Assuming this is true, if someone covered something that was excessively rusty and shouldn't be (say a structural area or a brake pipe or something), such that you couldn't see it at all, would you fail it, ask them to remove it or simply log it hadn't been tested?

I would issue an advisory saying I couldn’t inspect the area/item because of a cover. If it looked like a non genuine cover had been fitted-in an attempt to hide something- I’d photograph it as well.

[Little Pete]

InitialDave said:

Benbay001 said:

Ive recently bought a US import and the rear fog light thats been added flashes (like a rain light) What do you think my chances are of getting it through an MOT?

It's failed... no, it's passed... no, it's failed... no, it's passed...

[cuprabob]

V10leptoquark said:

Not sure if already been asked, but if an MOT tester puts an incorrect mileage on the report, is there an easy way to correct this?
And say if a month or so passes unnoticed, can it still be corrected?

(Recent car purchase enquiry raised a suspicion on a car that showed 95k when it probably should have been 55k - dealer said it was an MOT error which they couldn't correct).

I believe the mileage can be corrected by the MOT Station that performed the test witjin 7 days. After that you have to go through DVSA to have it corrected.

[Baldchap]

Little Pete said:

Baldchap said:

Here's a question: I am always hearing that MOT testers can't remove anything or investigate beyond eyes and a gentle tap. Assuming this is true, if someone covered something that was excessively rusty and shouldn't be (say a structural area or a brake pipe or something), such that you couldn't see it at all, would you fail it, ask them to remove it or simply log it hadn't been tested?

I would issue an advisory saying I couldn’t inspect the area/item because of a cover. If it looked like a non genuine cover had been fitted-in an attempt to hide something- I’d photograph it as well.

That reads like it'd pass with advisory?

That seems massively open to abuse...

[Little Pete]

Baldchap said:

That reads like it'd pass with advisory?

That seems massively open to abuse...

Sorry yes, I’d pass and advise it. That’s all we can do within the guidelines we are given. I wouldn’t say it’s open to abuse really because I imagine it would be really difficult to come up with some sort of cover that would hide the defect well enough. It would probably be easier to do the repair!

[Little Pete]

cuprabob said:

V10leptoquark said:

Not sure if already been asked, but if an MOT tester puts an incorrect mileage on the report, is there an easy way to correct this?
And say if a month or so passes unnoticed, can it still be corrected?

(Recent car purchase enquiry raised a suspicion on a car that showed 95k when it probably should have been 55k - dealer said it was an MOT error which they couldn't correct).

I believe the mileage can be corrected by the MOT Station that performed the test witjin 7 days. After that you have to go through DVSA to have it corrected.

Within 28 days. Then it’s DVSA.

[Krikkit]

Challo said:

Last week I picked up a cheap E39 touring, with a brand new MOT. The MOT only had 2 advisories for worn rear tyres but nothing else. When driving the car its clear that the ARB bushes and droplinks need replacing as they knock very badly driving on normal roads.

Is this something that should have been picked up on the MOT?

If they're knocking on the road they might not do it on a ramp or even a shaker rig - they have to be really worn to show up that way on heavy cars.

[Benbay001]

Little Pete said:

InitialDave said:

Benbay001 said:

Ive recently bought a US import and the rear fog light thats been added flashes (like a rain light) What do you think my chances are of getting it through an MOT?

It's failed... no, it's passed... no, it's failed... no, it's passed...

It took me a while but ...

[Integrator_Type_R]

Athlon said:

XRMike said:

Have you ever had a cam belt snap on a diesel emission rev test? Also have you ever point blank refused to test a car based on its condition?

Not yet...

I have never refused to test a car but have asked the owner to remove some stuff beforehand. Some cars are mobile skips, I find it hard to understand how someone can let a car get into such a state.

As a follow on from this.... what's the wierdest/most bizarre/curious/outright most jawdropping item or stuff you've asked to be removed or even had to remove yourself (are you even allowed to do that?) before proceeding with a test?

[grudas]

Couple questions, got a JDM import toyota and it has some funky door config.

so the doors have "speed sensitive autolock"

it locks the doors once the cars goes over 20km/h
when you stop and put it in "P" the drivers door unlocks
rest stay locked you have to press unlock on the drivers door to access doors from outside or "unlock" switch on each door from inside.

this is not an MOT failure?

other is rear foglight, the car has dual fillament bulbs so foglight is factory fit but not enabled without a switch.. which needs to be wired in but I don't think I'll have the time to do it before MOT.

I have rigged up a temporary foglight in a case of -;

12v socket with switch and LED -> wiring to the rear of the car and foglight attached to the bottom of the bumper, flick the switch, light comes on the switch, fog light is on too.

is this MOT friendly or not, realistically there's nothing that states it is illegal..

[Little Pete]

grudas said:

Couple questions, got a JDM import toyota and it has some funky door config.

so the doors have "speed sensitive autolock"

it locks the doors once the cars goes over 20km/h
when you stop and put it in "P" the drivers door unlocks
rest stay locked you have to press unlock on the drivers door to access doors from outside or "unlock" switch on each door from inside.

this is not an MOT failure?

other is rear foglight, the car has dual fillament bulbs so foglight is factory fit but not enabled without a switch.. which needs to be wired in but I don't think I'll have the time to do it before MOT.

I have rigged up a temporary foglight in a case of -;

12v socket with switch and LED -> wiring to the rear of the car and foglight attached to the bottom of the bumper, flick the switch, light comes on the switch, fog light is on too.

is this MOT friendly or not, realistically there's nothing that states it is illegal..

Makes sure the lamp is in the centre or to the offside and is secure. No problem with the door locks.
Edit. And don’t wrap the wiring around the exhaust! (See an earlier post)

Edited by Little Pete on Monday 2nd September 13:27