The ask an MOT tester thread

[Athlon]

Brave Fart said:

A Porsche has had its original airbag-equipped steering wheel replaced with a non-airbag one. The non-airbag one was an option when the car was new. Pass or fail?

If the light is out how do I know if it is original or not? Pass.

[Athlon]

Lazadude said:

What's the thinking behind an advisory for tires low but not illegal (what ever the phrase is) when in their accompanying report they're @5mm whole way across? That's always irked me, as it killed a 8 year clean sheet but nothing I could do to fix it.

5mm should not be an advise. I advise at 3mm or worn edges or perished.

[Athlon]

R.Sole said:

What is acceptable/not for a chipped windscreen?

Pretty specific this one, a chip bigger than 10mm in Zone 'A' (in front of the steering wheel, about the width of the wheel) bigger than 40mm in zone 'B' (swept area really) A combination of marks chips, scratches etc that amount to the same is not good either. Outside the swept area you should be good for an advise only. Failure for damage is only justified if the damage significantly affects the driver’s view of the road.

[Athlon]

jimmytheone said:

Is a worn steering wheel an advisory or fail?
The plastic cover and some foam has worn away on the rhs but it’s on the outter rim of the wheel not the customer facing bit.

I’m sure I had an advisory on my mk1 mx5 last year. I know it’s worn (it’s going to be replaced as part of rebuild when I can find time) but I can’t find any guidance on the MOT rules about the wheel itself only every other steering component!

I would advise it, you get some where the rim is loose and moves when you twist it, that is a fail if it moves a lot.

[Athlon]

lord trumpton said:

Have you ever had anything go wrong with someones car during the test ie

- engine failed/blown up/et go in some way during the test

- Have you ever accidentally damaged a car like scuffing a wheel, denting a door etc?

- Been accused of either of the above?

Overheating several times through failed fans, nothing has gone pop on a test for me yet..

No, the ramp is wide and as are the rollers, if we are doing a Ferrari or other really low car with long overhangs we have cover plates for the rollers so the access to the ramp is totally flat.

Not yet..

[Athlon]

CS Garth said:

Evo VI - anti-yaw control light is intermittently on. Obviously I will get the pump fixed which I suspect is the problem but would this fail if on when presented for test?

Thanks in advance

If the ABS and traction/ESP light are out then it's not one for us, Pass and advise.

[Athlon]

Jbeale96 said:

Mine must have just been borderline last year then, have an advisory for a chip in Zone A. I think it has grown a bit so it looks like I’d best be getting one of those repair kits before next Tuesday.

Couple of other questions, my nearside mirror doesn’t adjust electrically. The motor is held in by cable ties because it’s the wrong type. You can adjust it by moving the glass by hand. Pass or fail?

My car takes about 2 seconds to build oil pressure when started from cold. I’m assuming this isn’t a fail?

MOT time is the worst part of shedding

Mirror is fine. Oil pressure is fine.

[Athlon]

silentbrown said:

Q1:Some hatchback/saloon race series used to require that cars had a valid MOT. Is it still possible to get an MOT for a car that also meets RACMSA regs for circuit racing? (I'm thinking about airbags,etc. Also how are Rally cars treated?)

Q2 :If you get a "dangerous" fail that you can't fix there and then, and the owner asks "Can I take it home?", what's the reply...?

There is an exception to the rule regarding motorsport cars, but they have to be that, a smart steering wheel and seats won't do it, a fully prepared competition vehicle is looked at slightly differently.

Yes you can take it home, it is an advisory that the car is in essence illegal and it would be unwise to use it on the road.

[Athlon]

Kevin-gp9gc said:

Track car passenger and driver seats fixed, drivers needs to be adjustable to pass?

No SRS light, no more passenger airbag or steering wheel airbag, pass?

Only 5-point race harness on driver seat pass, no regular seat belts?

90db noise at track static testing, pass?

Accusump oil pressure metal cylinder at foot of front passenger floor with braided steel hoses ok?

Bias valve for rear brakes balance visible near hand brake ok on 1996 car?

Thanks

I would have no problem with any of those as it is obvious it is a motor sport prepared vehicle.

[Athlon]

vergil300 said:

It certainly sounds like your an honest tester and from a honest garage, but based on some of the early post these garages that are offering £25 or even £15 MOTs... Are they just trying to get business as they are quiet (unlikely as garages up here at least are usually booked up), are they 'hoping' for fails or are they actually going to fail on everything they can get away with? Have you heard of this in the business? I buy and do up alot of older stuff, s-types, v8 4x4s etc, just for fun, as do a few of my mates and the general consensus is: go to a garage that charges full price...

I can't comment on other garages but I cannot see how they can make a go of it at £15..Seriously after labour, slot cost, all the sundry costs (computer, paper, ink, printer, maintenance of the ramp and rollers, reant, rates, calibration costs, exams etc) there is no change out of £15 a test, maybe it is a way of getting the customer through the door and hoping they will then use the garage onwards for other work?

We charge £45 to retail, £35 to trade and it's a close call profit wise.

[Athlon]

chainy said:

If a car comes in for a mot and the owner has changed the headlight bulbs to led. Would you pass or fail it even if the beam pattern was within mot guidelines and not blinding every other road user..

Pass. Different story with H.I.D. unites though..

[Athlon]

borcy said:

What % of customers stay behind to watch the MoT?

I don't think I ever have bothered to stay and watch them. I don't really book them in for a set time just drop off on a morning and pick it up in the afternoon.

20% ish, those who own enthusiast cars (Porsche, Ferrari etc) tend to hang around as they like to have a nosey underneath or just want to make sure the car is being treated as they would like, and some folk just want to get it done as part of the days plan, Sometimes we get a customer who sits in the waiting area looking around at the info wall etc, this sets off my spidey sense as it is likely a secret shopper or a test car.

I have no problem with anyone waiting and asking the odd question, it's the ones who constantly ask "Is it OK so far? How are the brakes, is it rusty, why are you looking there" that drive me mad as we need to concentrate!

[Athlon]

FredClogs said:

I had some rattly heat shield on my aging smax, fixing holes corrode, aluminium held in with mild steel fasteners, who knew?

I've fixed using some drinks cans folded to make extra large square washers and it's all as good as new and not moving anywhere. Is this OK? MOT on Saturday.

Yep, I would not even look twice.

[Athlon]

foggy said:

Is it still the same for pre 2009 cars - headlight washers not testable? I’ve got a temperamental one that hasn’t quite got to the top of my job list yet...

Thank you!

Yep. And they are only a fail if you have HID's otherwise it is a minor.

[Athlon]

xjay1337 said:

Athlon said:

foggy said:

Is it still the same for pre 2009 cars - headlight washers not testable? I’ve got a temperamental one that hasn’t quite got to the top of my job list yet...

Thank you!

Yep. And they are only a fail if you have HID's otherwise it is a minor.

I remember many years ago (must have been 7 or 8 now) our owners club clarified with Vosa/DfT whoever it was, that you only needed washers and self levelling if the xenon / LED lights were over 2000 lumens.

Given that most MOT garages can't measure lumen output, certainly not accurately, that it was automatically deemed to be less than 2000 lumens and so as long as the beam pattern was OK.
The official wording was something like "if they <the washers/self levelling> are fitted, they must work, otherwise it is assumed that they are not needed"

I guess this is no longer the case?

Yes it has changed as has much of the wording in the 'book' . Headlamp washers have to work on 2009 or newer vehicles with HID's.

Levelling devices must work if they are fitted, although if they are self levelling and we can't prove they are broken we have to give the benefit of doubt.

[Athlon]

Lemming Train said:

Athlon said:

Yes it has changed as has much of the wording in the 'book' . Headlamp washers have to work on 2009 or newer vehicles with HID's.

Levelling devices must work if they are fitted, although if they are self levelling and we can't prove they are broken we have to give the benefit of doubt.

If they are self-levelling, the car performs a level calibration when you first switch them on which is easy enough to watch in progress on the wall in front.

Not all of them, some not at all, some every third or fourth use, some every time. How are we to know every cars systems? If in doubt pass and advise.

[Athlon]

Blanco92 said:

Genuine question (for mother’s car, a Passat CC). The bootlid will not open, neither the remote fob nor the exterior handle. Reason being is the boot wiring loom has failed (common problem). The boot can be opened from inside, but that involves rear seats being folded down and clambering into the boot front first to pull the manual release from inside. Once opened, the bootlid latches fine when closed from the outside.

Pass or fail?

I will fix it for her ASAP, but it won’t be before MOT (due to work schedules being incompatible and the small matter of me being 250miles away).

Hmm, I don't know how the others will view it but to me it would be a reason to refuse to test really as we don't have time to mess about like that and we need to see inside the boot to check for corrosion etc. Sorry

[Athlon]

Grahamdub said:

Do you always check the battery is secured ? On a Defender it is under the passenger seat, so needs the seat base unclipping and a metal cover removing. Would you go to that extent to check ?

We don't remove covers so that limits us for checking some things. We do the best we can within the rules laid down.

[Athlon]

wazztie16 said:

If I can jump in with a boot query, my boot won't hold open ( think it's the struts gone), is that a fail or anything? Only asking as it's due mot this month, will be booking it in for Monday.

The boot opens and closes just fine, but just won't hold itself in the air.

Of no interest to us but it would be nice to be told so we know about it before it tries to eat us!
If it opens and closes we are good to go

[Athlon]

Mr Tidy said:

Well sometimes, but the tester of my BMW E91 last year wanted to fail it for worn rear brake pads even though the OBC showed 22K miles left in them - so I managed to talk him into an advisory. What an a*se!

This year my E90 got tested at the same place but by a different (sensible) tester and passed with no advisory, even though the rear pads have 11K miles left going by the OBC.

I always understood the MOT was an assessment of how the car performed on the day it was tested - or did I miss something?

Your 'OBC' has no idea how much is left on the pads, it knows how far it has travelled since the last time it was told it had new ones and for how long but that's it. The tester has eyes that can actually see the pads and make a decision from that. Pads on the rear will go a long way on very little wear but if they are less that 3mm or so thick they will get advised.

There are fixed fails along with an advise for it, if the advise has a number sequence after it you can look up exactly what the description is in the manual.

Advises are there to let you know there is a potential problem in the future, they are there to help you.