Changes to 2011 MOT Scaremongering???

[300bhp/ton]

Compo_Simmonite said:

From what I can gather the ECU aspect is in connection with road tax bands being based on emissions. If you have say a £0 or £30 pa etc band vehicle and then chip / modify to higher spec where £100+ pa is applicable then the governement is loosing out.
Not sure how they would impliment but it will be aimed at post March 2001 vehicles.

Paul H

Co2 is rated on type approval vehicles, not random selections of production and if 2001, 9 year old vehicles.

[Alfa numeric]

wrecks2riches said:

Airbag warning lights - If any warning lights are illuminated, it will again be an MOT failure.

Call me a cynic, but I'm sure there's an easy fix for that...

[jagracer]

Alfa numeric said:

wrecks2riches said:

Airbag warning lights - If any warning lights are illuminated, it will again be an MOT failure.

Call me a cynic, but I'm sure there's an easy fix for that...

Except that they will have to work in sequence, I.E. illuminate, do a self test and extinguish pretty much the same as the ABS lights.

There's a thread here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... although it's mostly gone off track.

[The Wookie]

300bhp/ton said:

Compo_Simmonite said:

From what I can gather the ECU aspect is in connection with road tax bands being based on emissions. If you have say a £0 or £30 pa etc band vehicle and then chip / modify to higher spec where £100+ pa is applicable then the governement is loosing out.
Not sure how they would impliment but it will be aimed at post March 2001 vehicles.

Paul H

Co2 is rated on type approval vehicles, not random selections of production and if 2001, 9 year old vehicles.

The relevant authorities can and do buy new cars from dealers to test them for any irregularity, but in terms of older cars I don't think there's much point really. Too many potential variables to take into account.

[Compo_Simmonite]

300bhp/ton said:

Compo_Simmonite said:

From what I can gather the ECU aspect is in connection with road tax bands being based on emissions. If you have say a £0 or £30 pa etc band vehicle and then chip / modify to higher spec where £100+ pa is applicable then the governement is loosing out.
Not sure how they would impliment but it will be aimed at post March 2001 vehicles.

Paul H

Co2 is rated on type approval vehicles, not random selections of production and if 2001, 9 year old vehicles.

Maybe I didn't word it right but to ensure conformatity of manufacturers C02 figures if they affect road tax bands on post March 2001 vehicles was one of the reasons I read that it was being included in MOT test.
It's to stop people taking a post March 2001 low road tax band car and modifying the engine so it produces higher CO2 (yet still within MOT pass limits) and not submitting to an IVA or whatever test to determine the new correct road tax band.
Obviously pre March 2001 vehicles the road tax is set by engine size and not CO2 so they won't be affected.

Paul H

[youngsyr]

Compo_Simmonite said:

...Obviously pre March 2001 vehicles the road tax is set by engine size and not CO2 so they won't be affected.

Paul H

...unless the engines are bored/stroked/swapped.

[Compo_Simmonite]

youngsyr said:

Compo_Simmonite said:

...Obviously pre March 2001 vehicles the road tax is set by engine size and not CO2 so they won't be affected.

Paul H

...unless the engines are bored/stroked/swapped.

People don't do that - do they

Paul H

[aka_kerrly]

jagracer said:

Alfa numeric said:

wrecks2riches said:

Airbag warning lights - If any warning lights are illuminated, it will again be an MOT failure.

Call me a cynic, but I'm sure there's an easy fix for that...

Except that they will have to work in sequence, I.E. illuminate, do a self test and extinguish pretty much the same as the ABS lights.

There's a thread here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... although it's mostly gone off track.

I know of people who have rewired the ABS or Air bag warning lights to each other so the test sequence for one applies to the light for both in order to hide the failure of either system.

As with most things in life, a new bit of legislation is created which leads to people finding new ways around it.

[lescombes]

it's all fine by me..... I have a Jap import that has been through the Shakken so is way above the MOT plus it has no ECU etc....only thing is the wiring, which is fine...been checked on import

[thinfourth2]

Well the airbag light thing will put my 12 year old daily hack on the scrapheap

I love green ideas

[lescombes]

it's all fine by me..... I have a Jap import that has been through the Shakken so is way above the MOT plus it has no ECU etc....only thing is the wiring, which is fine...been checked on import

[J4CKO]

Love to see them try the ECU thing, would that outlaw every car with aftermarket stuff like Megasquirt, would they have the code for every revision of the map for every single car ever made with an ECU.

Im ok, I have a box of tricks I can plug in and put the old one back anyway.

I think, in reality that efforts should be directed more to getting untaxed, un-mod'd, uninsured death traps off the road and pulling the 25% of drivers who run round with a duff bulb before the MOT !

[Dracoro]

8400rpm said:

Not all cars on the road have OBD ports to plug into, for a start. My Type-R certainly doesn't, and it's a 2000 model, what about cars older? Nonsense.

As I understand it, most cars in the last 15/20 years have them (unless they've had them removed, odd thing to do though). All cars sold in the US since 1996 are required to have them (ODB2) and from 20001 in the EU. Older Integras (DC2) have them AFAIK. Some cars have them well hidden, some not, under passenger dash on a 2000 Integra IIRC.

[Jag-D]

Sounds like bullst to me for the most part

Airbag light though? I thought that was already a fail??

As for wiring looms: How the hell are they going to inforce that one? You might as well check for variations in metal fatigue in the upper sections of the transmission tunnel from the inside...

Impossible to inforce

[Hedders]

I was not aware it was illegal to drive a car if the airbags might not work. Does that mean that cars that do not have air bags at all are going to be taken off the road soon??

[B'stard Child]

youngsyr said:

Read this article which sounds like absolute bllcks to me from a second rate website, but does anyone know any more about it?

wrecks2riches said:

Still 13 months away until these new regulations come into force, but some interesting changes. From MOT from December 2011, the below changes will come into force, which will be very bad news for some.

HID lights – Specifically those aftermarket kits that give the very bright headlight beams. Any cars found with these kits will be an automatic MOT failure. Testers are able to easily spot the difference between HID kits, and manufacturer fitted Xenon’s. Easy to spot as Xenon cars have suspension level sensors, in car beam adjuster, and usually headlight washers.

I have a car factory fitted with Xenons from new - No suspension leveling, no in car beam adjustment just wash system

Edited to fix bad quote

Edited by B'stard Child on Tuesday 9th November 19:18

[jagracer]

aka_kerrly said:

jagracer said:

Alfa numeric said:

wrecks2riches said:

Airbag warning lights - If any warning lights are illuminated, it will again be an MOT failure.

Call me a cynic, but I'm sure there's an easy fix for that...

Except that they will have to work in sequence, I.E. illuminate, do a self test and extinguish pretty much the same as the ABS lights.

There's a thread here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... although it's mostly gone off track.

I know of people who have rewired the ABS or Air bag warning lights to each other so the test sequence for one applies to the light for both in order to hide the failure of either system.

As with most things in life, a new bit of legislation is created which leads to people finding new ways around it.

Hey ho, as long as the boxes tick.

[Welshbeef]

I've mentioned a few times re ved or comp car tax being charged incorrectly due to remapping.

It's no different to theft yet when I highlighted it there was a lot of pushback from what I can only assume are those with a vested interest ie remapped cars. Probably the vast majority legal from an INS point of view but from ved they remapped so push out more c02 so should pay more. Just as they don't agree with the law doesn't mean it should be not paid.

[Olivera]

Welshbeef said:

I've mentioned a few times re ved or comp car tax being charged incorrectly due to remapping.

It's no different to theft yet when I highlighted it there was a lot of pushback from what I can only assume are those with a vested interest ie remapped cars. Probably the vast majority legal from an INS point of view but from ved they remapped so push out more c02 so should pay more. Just as they don't agree with the law doesn't mean it should be not paid.

Like custom programmable ECUs, many remaps are now switchable to different states of tune. It will be childs play to switch to CO2 friendly map for an MOT test. The only alternative is to ban any and all ECU modifications completely.

[SlimRick]

So my track BMW will no longer be able to pass an MOT because I've removed the airbags and the light is now on??? Bummer.