MOT - spare tyre examination
Discussion
I asked this on the Volvo forum, but thought I'd give it a wider audience.
Whilst preparing for my MOT I found my space saver spare was flat, so I had a quick look and found a nail in the edge of the tread.
I have a plug kit, so used that for the hole, pumped the tyre up to 60 psi and put everything back.
It then occurred to me, that to get to my spare tyre, you have to undo a storage tray under the shopping rack that lifts out of the floor. This is on a Volvo V70. To get to the tyre you have to lift the floor in the rear, this hinges up and has an elastic net and hooks for shopping bags etc. It has a floor which is clipped in at both sides. You unclip the floor, a moulded plastic affair and lift it out. Under this is the spare wheel.
Are MOT testers allowed to remove the tray to test the tyre? Just curious, as the clips have to be turned to release.
Whilst preparing for my MOT I found my space saver spare was flat, so I had a quick look and found a nail in the edge of the tread.
I have a plug kit, so used that for the hole, pumped the tyre up to 60 psi and put everything back.
It then occurred to me, that to get to my spare tyre, you have to undo a storage tray under the shopping rack that lifts out of the floor. This is on a Volvo V70. To get to the tyre you have to lift the floor in the rear, this hinges up and has an elastic net and hooks for shopping bags etc. It has a floor which is clipped in at both sides. You unclip the floor, a moulded plastic affair and lift it out. Under this is the spare wheel.
Are MOT testers allowed to remove the tray to test the tyre? Just curious, as the clips have to be turned to release.
Spitfire2 said:
smele said:
Just take it out. No requirement for a spare, but if you have one, it has to be legal.
Urban myth. Spare isnt tested. I've just had a look at the .gov site, it says -
The tyres and wheels - Their condition, security, size, type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.
So there we have it.
I always thought it was inspected - maybe it was in the old days!
Edited by Tunku on Friday 7th October 22:07
Tunku said:
I thought if it was present, it had to be legal. If not present, not tested, obviously.
I've just had a look at the .gov site, it says -
The tyres and wheels - Their condition, security, size, type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.
So there we have it.
I always thought it was inspected - maybe it was in the old days!
It has changed recently but I don't know exactly when. It did indeed used to be that you didn't have to have one but if you did it had to be legal.I've just had a look at the .gov site, it says -
The tyres and wheels - Their condition, security, size, type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.
So there we have it.
I always thought it was inspected - maybe it was in the old days!
Edited by Tunku on Friday 7th October 22:07
king arthur said:
It has changed recently but I don't know exactly when. It did indeed used to be that you didn't have to have one but if you did it had to be legal.
Presence or condition of a spare wheel and tyre has never been part of the MOT inspection.Now, why do you think that might be?
The point of the MOT is that it examines the vehicle, for use on public roads, in the condtion it is, at the time it is presented.
That is all.
Advisories are, of course, an attempt to give owners some advice about future condition that may affect legality and roadworthiness.
If I were setting policy I would insist on a spare tyre being part of the test and that it would work if it had to be used. I think I would want to see the equipment necessary for changing it as well. I might also insist on tow rope being part of the kit. Broken cars are dangerous and cause congestion if they can't be moved out of the road.
As it is I always check customers spare tyres to make sure they are inflated and functional as part of a major service. I was taught to do this during my work experience with a garage when I was at school.
Now I dunno about the rest of you but these rumors of moving to a more EU style system of 3 year inspections worry me greatly. Our standard of annual inspection is far higher than the 3-year continental standard. As a result of 3 year inspections being the norm on the continent I guess they have their cars more regularly serviced than we do. Many people in this country treat the MOT as a substitute for a proper service and if we switched 'overnight' to a 3-year system we'd find an awful load of cars rolling about the place tied together with string and rust. The number of genuine dangerous faults I find during MOT tests is already fairly ridiculous so if you give people another two years to ignore problems then they blo0dy well will!
As it is I always check customers spare tyres to make sure they are inflated and functional as part of a major service. I was taught to do this during my work experience with a garage when I was at school.
Now I dunno about the rest of you but these rumors of moving to a more EU style system of 3 year inspections worry me greatly. Our standard of annual inspection is far higher than the 3-year continental standard. As a result of 3 year inspections being the norm on the continent I guess they have their cars more regularly serviced than we do. Many people in this country treat the MOT as a substitute for a proper service and if we switched 'overnight' to a 3-year system we'd find an awful load of cars rolling about the place tied together with string and rust. The number of genuine dangerous faults I find during MOT tests is already fairly ridiculous so if you give people another two years to ignore problems then they blo0dy well will!
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