The ask an MOT tester thread

[STO]

My Bmw has a warning on the instrument cluster stating that there is "adaptive headlight failure" The headlights work on both beams, but don't do the bending light thing, would this be a failure? Thanks in advance.

[STO]

Bump anyone?

[Little Pete]

That isn’t something we test.

[STO]

Cool thanks

[Ryyy]

Front Subframe mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive bushes cracking.

Can anyone shed any light on that? Is the subframe damaged or does it just mean the bushes? Sorry if thats a need to see it to answer question .

[Mr Tidy]

I'm sure it will have been asked before but my car got advisories last month for:-

engine cover fitted
under tray fitted

Surely as they were OE fitments by the manufacturer it should have got advisories if they were missing? It's not like BMW didn't fit them for a good reason!

I'll try somewhere else next year.

[cuprabob]

Mr Tidy said:

I'm sure it will have been asked before but my car got advisories last month for:-

engine cover fitted
under tray fitted

Surely as they were OE fitments by the manufacturer it should have got advisories if they were missing? It's not like BMW didn't fit them for a good reason!

I'll try somewhere else next year.

Some testers do this to cover their @rse to clarify that they couldn't check anything that the cover(s) were obscuring. It's a relatively common advisory.

[Mr Tidy]

cuprabob said:

Some testers do this to cover their @rse to clarify that they couldn't check anything that the cover(s) were obscuring. It's a relatively common advisory.

I know, I've had it before but it's still a load of bks.

But surely if they are OE fittings it shouldn't be an advisory?

[stevemcs]

Mr Tidy said:

I know, I've had it before but it's still a load of bks.

But surely if they are OE fittings it shouldn't be an advisory?

Makes no difference, they cannot see through them, let’s say you leave the test centre and a brake pipe fails (Mercedes) or the front subframe is rotten (Vauxhall) most people will ask why they were not informed before they sell the story to the daily mail.

I don’t really see the issue with it, nobody takes any notice of it.

[shed driver]

I've removed one after market rear seat belt from a classic car, a pig of a job due to the rear screen being so close to the fixing point. The seat belt was jammed so would have been an MOT failure.

As the belts were not originally fitted (car is 1973) will it pass with just one seat belt? I know it's exempt but I do like to reassurance of an inspection, and it keeps the history file updated.

SD.

[e-honda]

What happens if an exempt vehicle fails ?

[Little Pete]

Ryyy said:

Front Subframe mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive bushes cracking.

Can anyone shed any light on that? Is the subframe damaged or does it just mean the bushes? Sorry if thats a need to see it to answer question .

That to me reads as the damage is to the bushes and not the actual subframe. There is an advisory on the system for worn subframe mounting bushes so it looks like the tester has selected the wrong one. If you are worried about it ask them to explain it to you.

[Little Pete]

shed driver said:

I've removed one after market rear seat belt from a classic car, a pig of a job due to the rear screen being so close to the fixing point. The seat belt was jammed so would have been an MOT failure.

As the belts were not originally fitted (car is 1973) will it pass with just one seat belt? I know it's exempt but I do like to reassurance of an inspection, and it keeps the history file updated.

SD.

It won’t fail for the seatbelt missing. I would mention it when you drop it off though just to remind them/make them aware that rear seatbelts are not required.
ETA. Any belts that are fitted will be tested, along with the relevant mounting points.

Edited by Little Pete on Tuesday 19th September 10:54

[Dracoro]

stevemcs said:

Mr Tidy said:

I know, I've had it before but it's still a load of bks.

But surely if they are OE fittings it shouldn't be an advisory?

Makes no difference, they cannot see through them, let’s say you leave the test centre and a brake pipe fails (Mercedes) or the front subframe is rotten (Vauxhall) most people will ask why they were not informed before they sell the story to the daily mail.

I don’t really see the issue with it, nobody takes any notice of it.

Does the MOT need to open the bonnet? If so, why? Be a challenge on cars like mine (Cayman) that has no engine under the bonnet

[Ryyy]

Little Pete said:

That to me reads as the damage is to the bushes and not the actual subframe. There is an advisory on the system for worn subframe mounting bushes so it looks like the tester has selected the wrong one. If you are worried about it ask them to explain it to you.

Thankyou for the reply, its on a car ive seen for sale but wanted to check before i made any contact its cheap weekend motoring i have a fancy for and isnt a lot of money at stake so if i go for a viewing ill ask before hand

[stevemcs]

Dracoro said:

Does the MOT need to open the bonnet? If so, why? Be a challenge on cars like mine (Cayman) that has no engine under the bonnet

To check the oil and water before test, if it does not open its refusal to test. How do you normally check your oil ?

[Little Pete]

Dracoro said:

Does the MOT need to open the bonnet? If so, why? Be a challenge on cars like mine (Cayman) that has no engine under the bonnet

Brake master cylinder, pipes, servo, suspension mounts, steering mounts and associated mounting areas for corrosion etc.

[Little Pete]

e-honda said:

What happens if an exempt vehicle fails ?

Good question! Obviously an exempt vehicle still has to be roadworthy so any defect that makes it unroadworthy needs to be rectified. There is no system in place to apply for MOT exemption, like there is for road tax, so how this shows up on ANPR cameras I’ve no idea. I’ve not tested my classic van this year and a search on the Gov site shows it as expired. I might just drive around in it without testing it to see what happens!
I’ll report back.

[Dracoro]

stevemcs said:

Dracoro said:

Does the MOT need to open the bonnet? If so, why? Be a challenge on cars like mine (Cayman) that has no engine under the bonnet

To check the oil and water before test, if it does not open its refusal to test. How do you normally check your oil ?

Is oil level and water checked in an MOT test?

Oil is checked using dash menu.

[Dracoro]

Little Pete said:

Dracoro said:

Does the MOT need to open the bonnet? If so, why? Be a challenge on cars like mine (Cayman) that has no engine under the bonnet

Brake master cylinder, pipes, servo, suspension mounts, steering mounts and associated mounting areas for corrosion etc.

Most/all are checked under the car surely? Either way on many cars these parts are inaccessible (from top of car), esp a mid engine one as they can't take the interior apart to get to them.

But there are some limited things you can see by looking under front bonnet though...