Can a car fail an MOT on a defective light?
Can a car fail an MOT on a defective light?
Author
Discussion

Acheron

Original Poster:

643 posts

193 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
At the rear, one of the tail lights is out. There's two bulbs each side, and on the left, neither are working. One was blown but one was fine.

Even upon replacing the blown bulb, neither work.

I think the problem lies either with the wiring, or the bulb board itself. (Is there a technical term for this should i seek replacement?)

Anyway, would a car fail an MOT on having a tail light not working?

fatboy b

9,665 posts

245 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
If a light is on the car, it has to work.

V8mate

45,899 posts

218 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
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Yep. All bulbs have to work.

I had a car MOT'd recently. Went to pick it up; all fine they said.

Car came with a fail sheet and a new MOT certificate though as a bulb had failed but they replaced it as they went.

Stuey145

274 posts

187 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
fatboy b said:
If a light is on the car, it has to work.
unless it's an ancillary light with a cover. Apparently.

Acheron

Original Poster:

643 posts

193 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
bks. frown

ZesPak

26,093 posts

225 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Friend of me noticed his 307 SW had a rear light not working. The 307 has an "O" shape rear light, made up of two bulbs, one on top and one below. His lights looked like this: "^ O". Right before MOT he removed the second bulb on the other sight so his lights looked like this: "^ ^"
If you don't know the car, you wouldn't know imho.

Adam_W

1,098 posts

229 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
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I can see why you might think an MOT wouldnt cover lights, due to the sheer number of tools on the road with headlights out or pointing far too high.

stemll

5,569 posts

229 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Stuey145 said:
fatboy b said:
If a light is on the car, it has to work.
unless it's an ancillary light with a cover. Apparently.
Or a front fog light

Fish981

1,441 posts

214 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Or a reversing light.

Or a nearside fog light.

Or some of a 3rd brake light.

The list goes on.

Acheron

Original Poster:

643 posts

193 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Just found a side light out now, which a new bulb didnt cure! Dammit!

Prof Prolapse

16,163 posts

219 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Fish981 said:
Or a reversing light.

Or a nearside fog light.

Or some of a 3rd brake light.

The list goes on.
Off topic but, Is there no way you can get an MOT without headlights on a car?

I know you can get away with it on a bike but they note it on the V32 that there were no lights fitted at the time of the test so it needs to be driven in daylight hours and not at times of "reduced visability".

I doubt plod would be impressed in any case though...


Bill

58,635 posts

284 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Acheron said:
Just found a side light out now, which a new bulb didnt cure! Dammit!
All the same side?

You've checked the fuses too...?

BrianMillar

192 posts

234 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Acheron said:
Just found a side light out now, which a new bulb didnt cure! Dammit!
If the side light is the same side as the tail light it could be a fuse blown


john_p

7,073 posts

279 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Acheron said:
bks. frown
In fairness two lights out on one side is pretty important to fix, well before the next MOT.

Chiswickboy

549 posts

217 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Prof Prolapse said:
Off topic but, Is there no way you can get an MOT without headlights on a car?

I know you can get away with it on a bike but they note it on the V32 that there were no lights fitted at the time of the test so it needs to be driven in daylight hours and not at times of "reduced visability".

I doubt plod would be impressed in any case though...
Things may have changed but I always understood that if you had lights they had to work, however there was no requirement for vehicles to have lights (although it does limit use to daylight hours).

SS2.

14,710 posts

267 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Chiswickboy said:
Things may have changed but I always understood that if you had lights they had to work..
Things have changed.. wink

Fish981

1,441 posts

214 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Prof Prolapse said:
Off topic but, Is there no way you can get an MOT without headlights on a car?

I know you can get away with it on a bike but they note it on the V32 that there were no lights fitted at the time of the test so it needs to be driven in daylight hours and not at times of "reduced visability".

I doubt plod would be impressed in any case though...
'This inspection applies to: all vehicles, except those which either have no front or rear position lamps or have such lamps permanently disconnected, painted over or masked that are · only used during daylight hours, and · not used at times of seriously reduced visibility'

Also, if you have no position lamps (sidelights), you don't need headlamps.

GreigM

6,740 posts

278 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
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You have checked the fuses haven't you....wouldn't be unusual for a bulb blowing to pop a fuse......

vescaegg

30,219 posts

196 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
Mine failed last year because of a non-working rear number plate light. The one light I forgot to check! frown

Deerfoot

5,240 posts

213 months

Tuesday 22nd March 2011
quotequote all
V8mate said:
Yep. All bulbs have to work.
Slightly off topic here, I was following a Jag XF this evening that had two or three individual led elements on the near-side rear lamp out.

Would this be an MOT failure?