Q. for MOT Testers
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GC8

Original Poster:

19,910 posts

219 months

Sunday 2nd March 2014
quotequote all
Corrosion within 300mm of a prescribed area: does this continue to be a prescribed area if the reason for it being such has been removed?

If, for example, the rear seats are removed from a vehicle then the rear seat belts don't need to be fitted and they can be deleted and the lack of rear belts cant be a reason for failure (although itll be an advisory).

If the passenger seat and seat belt are removed from a dual purpose car, would corrosion within 300mm of the belt mounting, which may have caused the vehicle to fail its MOT when a belt was fitted, still be a reason for failure, or not?

In a similar vein, but a far older argument for me: if you remove the windscreen and wiper blades, can the vehicle pass its MOT? This tied a tester and the helpline up in knots and wasn't ever resolved.

mcford

819 posts

203 months

Sunday 2nd March 2014
quotequote all
Seat belts are required for fitted seats, the testers manual says when and what type of belt is required for each seat, depending on what the vehicle is and when it was first used. No seat - then no seat belt requirement and then no prescribed area for the seat belt mounting.

The testers manual states for information:

This inspection applies to all vehicles, except those with an opening windscreen, or with some other means of providing the driver with an adequate view.

The question is, does not having a windscreen count as means of providing an adequate view? If you can see through the gap then it must. However it could be seen as temporary and a get out to avoid having a screen fitted. If the car was presented to me for test without a screen fitted then I would want to see that the wipers and washing system have been completely and pemanently removed including their switches.

Rich_W

12,548 posts

241 months

Sunday 2nd March 2014
quotequote all
mcford said:
Seat belts are required for fitted seats, the testers manual says when and what type of belt is required for each seat, depending on what the vehicle is and when it was first used. No seat - then no seat belt requirement and then no prescribed area for the seat belt mounting.
Just on that note. (to the OP)

1) Is the 300mm within a subframe/suspension mount. That would affect the decision
2) Why not just get it patched?

mcford said:
of providing an adequate view? If you can see through the gap then it must. However it could be seen as temporary and a get out to avoid having a screen fitted. If the car was presented to me for test without a screen fitted then I would want to see that the wipers and washing system have been completely and pemanently removed including their switches.
Indeed. That will probably mean a RFR for the OP. Again. just get a screen fitted. Given the questions I do wonder how much of a pile of junk is this car?

GC8

Original Poster:

19,910 posts

219 months

Sunday 2nd March 2014
quotequote all
One is a hypothetical question and the other was an old Porsche which had a chipped windscreen which I wanted to test, which was going to have its roof cut off and a substantial cage fitted, almost certainly ruining the new windscreen.

Thanks for your answers.