Top rear brake light - MOT failure?
Discussion
Mine hasn't worked for years and garages have always said it doesn't need to. I've moved and am taking it to a new garage and they say it does need to work. the testing manual says:
"Additional Stop Lamps Fitted. Any additional stop lamps fitted and connected must be tested. Where extra lamps are fitted and there is doubt as to whether they are connected, the benefit of this doubt should be given to the presenter."
It's a factory fit item. Any MOT testers out there to advise on this?
"Additional Stop Lamps Fitted. Any additional stop lamps fitted and connected must be tested. Where extra lamps are fitted and there is doubt as to whether they are connected, the benefit of this doubt should be given to the presenter."
It's a factory fit item. Any MOT testers out there to advise on this?
kerWell, as the manual says - if it's there and connected, it must work. If it's disconnected, it doesn't have to work because it doesn't then imply a fault in the brake light circuit. Because the manual also says you get benefit of the doubt when it's unclear, if you tell them it's not connected, then it shouldn't matter 
Dr Interceptor said:
It's an MOT Fail. Any fitted brake lights must function correctly. Two out of three does not a pass make.
But the MOT manual doesn't state that.MOT Manual said:
Vehicles first used on or after 1 January 1971 must be fitted with two obligatory stop lamps.
Additional stop lamps fitted and connected must be tested. Where extra lamps are fitted and there is doubt as to whether they are connected, the benefit of this doubt should be given to the presenter.
So if you tell the MOT tester that the additional high level lamp is not connected then they must give you the benefit of the doubt and pass it. They can't start stripping interior trim out, chasing wires and testing circuits to prove that it is connected.Additional stop lamps fitted and connected must be tested. Where extra lamps are fitted and there is doubt as to whether they are connected, the benefit of this doubt should be given to the presenter.
Dr Interceptor said:
It's an MOT Fail. Any fitted brake lights must function correctly. Two out of three does not a pass make.
the led middle brake light on my z4 was broken and it still passed. So long as the 2 outer/normal ones work its fine.Thats what the tester told me anyway!
I didnt argue
Edited by steve_bmw on Tuesday 24th January 16:43
GC8 said:
This nonsense never dies because people who dont know what theyre talking about perpetuate it in pubs, and now on internet forums.
Stop it.
If it's not a fail, it bloody well should be. 3rd high level brake lights are there for a reason. People who drive badly maintained cars on the road annoy me almost as much as those who speed past schools.Stop it.
GC8 said:
This nonsense never dies because people who dont know what theyre talking about perpetuate it in pubs, and now on internet forums.
Stop it.
It's not strictly nonsense though.Stop it.
If it's obviously a factory fit high level brake light then unless the presenter advises that they have disconnected it for some bizarre reason the tester should fail it on the basis that it came out of the factory connected.
Chainging the bulb or fixing the snapped wire in the hinge is not that much of a hardship.
Dr Interceptor said:
If it's not a fail, it bloody well should be. 3rd high level brake lights are there for a reason. People who drive badly maintained cars on the road annoy me almost as much as those who speed past schools.
Perhaps so, but we're talking about the strict rules, rather than how it should be.Jimmyarm said:
GC8 said:
This nonsense never dies because people who dont know what theyre talking about perpetuate it in pubs, and now on internet forums.
Stop it.
It's not strictly nonsense though.Stop it.
If it's obviously a factory fit high level brake light then unless the presenter advises that they have disconnected it for some bizarre reason the tester should fail it on the basis that it came out of the factory connected.
Chainging the bulb or fixing the snapped wire in the hinge is not that much of a hardship.
GC8 said:
Perhaps so, but we're talking about the strict rules, rather than how it should be.
Arguably you're encouraging someone to perpetuate an unsafe scenario on the grounds of "well technically I'm in the right" instead of just fixing the thing and not having to bother with the question in the first place. Agree on the 'fitted must work' bit but on this example if it's an obviously factory fitted item then why would the tester think it was disconnected ?
Unless you can see the connector off or the presenter tells you it's disconnected then you would assume that it is. There is no 'doubt' as it's a standard fitted item.
Retro fit ones are a different kettle of fish obviously but few and far between now ime.
Unless you can see the connector off or the presenter tells you it's disconnected then you would assume that it is. There is no 'doubt' as it's a standard fitted item.
Retro fit ones are a different kettle of fish obviously but few and far between now ime.
Dr Interceptor said:
To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if some testers refuse to pass a car without it functional - regardless of what the rules say.
My brother in law is a main dealer MOT tester, will see what he says when I next see him.
They can't refuse to pass something just because they don't agree with the rules. My brother in law is a main dealer MOT tester, will see what he says when I next see him.
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