MOT / VOSA inertia seatbelt question

[Matt UK]

OK, so the car is a normal mainstream 7 year old family car. I'm keen to know the MOT stipulation around inertia seatbelts.

As it stands, the car has a passenger seatbelt which is loose. It will lock up if tugged, but will not retract and hence flaps around when not in use and doesn't 'hug' you when you put it on.

I really want to understand if this is an MOT fail.

[Flawless Victory]

Buy a can of silicone spray lubricant, spray onto seatbelt. Job jobbed.

[davepoth]

It would likely be a fail. If you remove the seat and the belt, it's a pass.

[shoehorn]

Spraying silicon 0r any other substances into delicate seat belt mechanisms is daft,apart from risking passenger safety,many seat belts have pyrotechnics fitted to the inertia mechanism.
Not a good mix.
If the mechanism is suspect,which it obviously is then it could fail at any time.

[Matt UK]

I'm asking because the car in question is offered with a new MOT...

[Ozzie Osmond]

Matt UK said:

I'm asking because the car in question is offered with a new MOT...

MOT isn't a guarantee of used car quality. If you're not happy with the car argue the point with the seller, not with the MOT certificate.

[Matt UK]

Ozzie Osmond said:

MOT isn't a guarantee of used car quality. If you're not happy with the car argue the point with the seller, not with the MOT certificate.

Agreed and I get that. Just genuinely curious if this fault is a pass / fail / grey area.

[Ozzie Osmond]

People like to think MOT is a black-and-white world of obvious pass vs obvious fail. In reality there's quite a lot of discretion available to the tester where something is present on the car and not obviously useless.

[cambiker71]

If it won't retract on it's own or with a little help then it's a fail. It's mentioned specifically in the test manual.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/b...

[cambiker71]

If it won't retract on it's own or with a little help then it's a fail. It's mentioned specifically in the test manual.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/b...

[super tech]

cambiker71 said:

If it won't retract on it's own or with a little help then it's a fail. It's mentioned specifically in the test manual.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/b...

+1 i failed a TT the other week that wouldnt retract, its got to take the excess slack out the belt

[AMST09]

Our van failed for the same thing

[tercelgold]

Seatbelts, not exactly the best thing to skimp on.

[Ozzie Osmond]

cambiker71 said:

If it won't retract on it's own or with a little help then it's a fail. It's mentioned specifically in the test manual.

Perhaps you can tell us where it's "specifically mentioned". I can't see it.

And exactly how much help is "with a little help"? Is that precisely set out in the manual? No. Hence my comment about tester discretion.

[Fish981]

Ozzie Osmond said:

cambiker71 said:

If it won't retract on it's own or with a little help then it's a fail. It's mentioned specifically in the test manual.

Perhaps you can tell us where it's "specifically mentioned". I can't see it.

And exactly how much help is "with a little help"? Is that precisely set out in the manual? No. Hence my comment about tester discretion.

5.2.4.b

"a retracting mechanism does not retract the webbing sufficiently to remove all the slack from the belt with the locking mechanism fastened and the seat unoccupied"

That's with the belt locked though.

[Riley Blue]

Fish981 said:

5.2.4.b

"a retracting mechanism does not retract the webbing sufficiently to remove all the slack from the belt with the locking mechanism fastened and the seat unoccupied"

That's with the belt locked though.

The driver's belt in one of my cars retracts when fastened with no one in the seat but doesn't always retract fully when I get out of the car after wearing it. The car has never failed an MoT inspection (nine in all at different test stations) because of this.

[BFG TERRANO]

I'm not approving of any bodge with seat belts but try this: my wifes car picked up an advisory as follows- passenger seat belt, unable to inspect due to child seat in position. When I offered to remove the seat when I picked the car up he said don't worry. They can't remove children's seats. Might help unless It's the drivers seat.

Just read further posts. Maybe this was done for mot?

Edited by BFG TERRANO on Monday 22 October 07:20

[Matt UK]

Actually, to be more specific and correct an inaccuracy in my OP:

If you put the seat belt on, it will gently recoil back and hug you. It will also lock up when tugged, so when 'in use' all is normal.

But when you take the belt off and get out of the car, it will recoil a tiny amount but the majority of what you would pull out in order to put it on, stays out and hence a fair bit of belt is flapping around down next to the door pillar.

I've already arranged for a genuine VAG replacement to be fitted so no issue from a safety point of view, I guess this post is just in response to my curious scepticism around MOT regs, used car dealers and 'friendly' trade testers..

[Riley Blue]

See my post above. What you describe is what happens to one of my car's driver's belt; it's an Audi A4.