The ask an MOT tester thread

[horsemeatscandal]

Little Pete said:

Fail.

Cheers.

[Fastpedeller]

Little Pete said:

JustLiam85 said:

Hi, I have a left side DRL dim on my 2017 Audi A3, the right side is perfectly fine. The car was registered 2017, and the law states that only DRLs are used in an MOT from 2018, does this mean my car will still pass, as the DRL is not compulsory until 2018?

Many thanks

Answered in your other thread. DRLs are only tested on vehicles first registered on or after 1st March 2018. You may get an advisory notice.

My understanding that (historically) if a light is there (even if not required) it needs to be working...... am I incorrect? or have things changed?

[Athlon]

Fastpedeller said:

My understanding that (historically) if a light is there (even if not required) it needs to be working...... am I incorrect? or have things changed?

Incorrect.

[TREMAiNE]

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

[cuprabob]

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Possibly a slight warp on the front discs.

[Little Pete]

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Yes, warped brake discs.

[TREMAiNE]

Little Pete said:

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Yes, warped brake discs.

Thanks both.
What causes warped discs?

[Howard-]

TREMAiNE said:

Little Pete said:

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Yes, warped brake discs.

Thanks both.
What causes warped discs?

It's actually usually pad deposits causing high spots. Caused by regularly coming to a stop from high speeds and holding your foot on the brake for example.

[mercedeslimos]

When the side-slip alignment and steering is checked, is the engine running?

I replaced the steering rack in my parents' Rover 75 today, and there's a slight knock when the steering wheel is wiggled from the dead ahead position, but only when the engine isn't running. If the engine is running (and thus PAS pump powering the rack), there's a complete absence of noise. Also, no play to speak of in the steering, the inner and outer rod ends have no play (removed to fit new rack).

[stevemcs]

mercedeslimos said:

When the side-slip alignment and steering is checked, is the engine running?

I replaced the steering rack in my parents' Rover 75 today, and there's a slight knock when the steering wheel is wiggled from the dead ahead position, but only when the engine isn't running. If the engine is running (and thus PAS pump powering the rack), there's a complete absence of noise. Also, no play to speak of in the steering, the inner and outer rod ends have no play (removed to fit new rack).

For us when on the shacker plates the engine is normally running.

[mercedeslimos]

stevemcs said:

mercedeslimos said:

When the side-slip alignment and steering is checked, is the engine running?

I replaced the steering rack in my parents' Rover 75 today, and there's a slight knock when the steering wheel is wiggled from the dead ahead position, but only when the engine isn't running. If the engine is running (and thus the PAS pump powering the rack), there's a complete absence of noise. Also, no play to speak of in the steering, the inner and outer rod ends have no play (removed to fit the new rack).

For us when on the shaker plates the engine is normally running.

Thanking you. The rack was secondhand, unfortunately, certain parts for 75s are becoming unobtanium and the original had the gaiter mounting flange sheared off - where it went god knows! The "new" rack is week 2 of 2002, so almost 2 years older than the car. Hopefully, it isn't an issue, the car gets frequent part replacements when it needs it (when something starts to knock, etc), the roads around here are abysmal and certain things just wear out. We have a box full of half-decent tie rods, drop links, etc so can just replace one easily when something wears out.

[adam quantrill]

Little Pete said:

Tye Green said:

Must the boot open for a pass?

Partner's C1's boot has been un-openable for a while and the MOT tester told her that he was, fortunately, able to open the boot from the inside otherwise it would have failed. He went on to say that he could supply and fit the parts to correct the issue for £120.

Is it essential that the boot can be opened to pass MOT ?

It’s actually a reason to refuse to test the car. It’s one of the checks we do before we start the test.

I would be amazed if anyone has ever checked it on my wedges, because it's an obscure switch, and no tester has ever asked where it is.

[Little Pete]

It seems they have listened to us!

[GeniusOfLove]

Howard- said:

TREMAiNE said:

Little Pete said:

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Yes, warped brake discs.

Thanks both.
What causes warped discs?

It's actually usually pad deposits causing high spots. Caused by regularly coming to a stop from high speeds and holding your foot on the brake for example.

Sometimes you can see the pad shaped deposit on the disc:


That came off my Jaguar XJ yesterday. It does feel like wobbly discs, which is why everyone refers to it as warped discs/rotors but from my understanding if it's disc related it's more likely to be run-out from a fitting error, they don't actually warp, but it's almost always uneven pad deposits. You can get the discs skimmed to get rid of it.

Using decent pads helps but they were megamoney OEM Jaguar pads on that car and it still happened. I seem to do it to every car I own, I've started to be much more mindful of brake temperatures in the hopes of not doing it anymore.

[gobuddygo]

Little Pete said:

It seems they have listened to us!

So no change then - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/change...

[MustangGT]

TREMAiNE said:

Little Pete said:

TREMAiNE said:

A car I am looking at buying has the following show up on its history... Can someone explain what it means, please?

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))
Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Yes, warped brake discs.

Thanks both.
What causes warped discs?

As someone else pointed out it is caused by pad deposit build up. The disc is not actually warped. The temperatures required to warp a disc are far in excess of anything able to be generated by a car.

[CrippsCorner]

My mum's car (Clio Mk4) has a service light on, which I've been reassured is just that, it is servicing time, not that there's an issue with the car. My mum doesn't believe in servicing cars lol... so I doubt this'll ever go. Will that be a fail next year though? Kind of hoping so, so it forces her to do it.

[E63eeeeee...]

If the passenger seat won't slide forwards and backwards, is that going to be a fail?

[wc98]

Little Pete said:

Carlos93 said:

Hello guys,

I've got my mot coming up in a week, and unfortunately someone reversed into my front bumper yesterday. Insurance doesn't expect the car to be repaired before the mot.

I got a hole in the front bumper next to my drl/fog lights. The trim around these lights which clips in the front bumper is now partially visible, including the clips where it should clip in the bumper.

The trim and lights are still safely attached to the bumper and no other damage is present.

Would this damage be a immediate mot fail?

Are there sharp edges that could cut someone if they caught themselves on it? My rule of thumb is to run my hand over the damaged area. If the edges snag and cut the gloves I wear I would fail it. If in doubt cover the area with gaffer tape and you will be fine.

I was amazed at what is acceptable. My front bumper has a deer shaped hole in it, took out a fog light with its head and exited one of the front wheel arch liners. Was a right pain getting the broken plastic and bits of deer out of the brake caliper. Duct taped the lot up and it's passed two MOT's since

[BunkMoreland]

CrippsCorner said:

My mum's car (Clio Mk4) has a service light on, which I've been reassured is just that, it is servicing time, not that there's an issue with the car. My mum doesn't believe in servicing cars lol... so I doubt this'll ever go. Will that be a fail next year though? Kind of hoping so, so it forces her to do it.

Pass. Not tested

E63eeeeee... said:

If the passenger seat won't slide forwards and backwards, is that going to be a fail?

Pass. Fore Aft only applies to Drivers Seat

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-...


Not a dig, but for everyone. The manual is all online for free. You can even search it easily. It tells you what is a fail. And basically if its not mentioned. Its a pass.