MOT fail on headlamp alignment
Discussion
Sails through on everything else but failed on drivers side dipped beam being too low. Not sure why this would be a safety issue but anyway...does any one know what the limits are for the dipped beam in the vertical plane? I would like to have a go at fixing this myself.
Thanks
Thanks
Edited by buzzsaw on Sunday 6th August 17:44
I don't know what the limits are, but I'm assuming that the offside beam is properly aligned? Then park it on a level surface at dusk facing a wall and align it with the other one. You'll see the top edge of the beam is a horizontal line which then rises at a tangent towards the nearside edge (of each beam). Just line up that horizontal top of the beam with the offside one.
Quinny said:
I can never understand this.
Any decent MOT place would just adjust it there and then
For most cars,yes, but the Chim is a pain. Assuming it's a facelift model, you need to take the wheel off, remove the access panel in the front of the wheel arch which will be bonded in with silkaflex and then fist around with the beam adjusters which will be rusted to buggery and may well pull out of the reflector. Any decent MOT place would just adjust it there and then
p.s. it's the offside light that is out of alignment. I'd be a bit cautious about just aligning it parallel to the nearside light as the offside beam usually seems to be pointed lower and further across to the left than the nearside one to reduce dazzle for on-coming traffic.
Sorry Quinny but you will find because of the time slots allocated to the testing station for MOT,s they cant be messing around removing grills and trying to align headlamps with stubborn adjusters just because its suits the owner,sure if its a regular car clio/astra for example most testing stations will do it for small fee.why should a tester tie up ramp time FIDDLING WITH AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY just because the cars headlamps aint up to scratch.a tester as to keep a steady flow of mots to fill out time slots since computerisation as taken place.its far less trouble for them to pass everything but no tester is that silly,they put up with enough shit already from VOSA.not knocking you guys inc Quinny but thats the situation with the new testing methods,testers dont like the system either but they have less time to fiddle and help out now,so much for computers making things easier.
Well I have the pleasure to be living in N.Ireland where there are many good things, but one of them is not the state managed MOT centres. The tester was apologetic when he failed me, stating that he couldn't do anything about as it as it was tied into the computer testing. He really did want to pass the car! I now have the headlight assembly in pieces, having broken the adjuster which had rusted away. I've used silicone sealant on the reflector to try and hold the reflector in what I think is the right position (a guess slightly higher than it was when it failed!). My question is though, is there a specific measurement were the top of the beam should hit a wall from a fixed distance away?
no ATG its only griffs that have the access panel if its a facelift chim without the grill you go in through that hole mot inspectors are not supposed to adjust anything its either pass fail or "advise" ask them to book it in and adjust if you cant set them up properly if not find a dealer who can like its been mentioned before line it up to the same height as the side that passed!
sorry buzzsaw didnt read your post it isnt a measurement its a percentage iirc your chim should have a sticker under the bonnet which has the percentage on it both headlights should line up the same its the telltale (its the _/ shape that stops you dazzling oncoming traffic) there both the same if you need anymore help get back in touch!
[quote=Quinny]What about somthing like a tail light bulb then?
I had one out on the Griff at last years MOT (it really did fail on the way there, as I'd checked the obvious stuff the day before)
The tester just went and got a bulb from the workshop and replaced it there and then.
Just sounds like common sense to me. Trouble is common sense ain't as common as it once
couldent agree more,it would make sense to replace bulb would also save a lot wasted time with paperwork,i do mots but,you have to stick to the mot manual,like i do
honestly
I had one out on the Griff at last years MOT (it really did fail on the way there, as I'd checked the obvious stuff the day before)
The tester just went and got a bulb from the workshop and replaced it there and then.
Just sounds like common sense to me. Trouble is common sense ain't as common as it once
couldent agree more,it would make sense to replace bulb would also save a lot wasted time with paperwork,i do mots but,you have to stick to the mot manual,like i do
honestlyQuinny said:
Just sounds like common sense to me. Trouble is common sense ain't as common as it once was.
I took my car in for its last test, its first 'computerised' test. I know the tester, have taken cars there for some years. He also fits tyres and the car was booked to have two new rears. The car was never going to pass an MoT test without replacements, yet he still tested (and failed) the car first, then fitted the tyres, then retested (and passed) it. It made no sense to me.
That's bad luck Buzzsaw. I put my Chimaera through the MOT on Sat (at Newtownards). When the tester did the headlights he told me that he'd have to fail me on the nearside light - it was too high and the line wasn't level or clear on their equipment. I explained that they're a complete pain to adjust and he said, basically, "tough" (although he wasn't impolite).
He then took ages to do the rest of the test, went over the car with a fine tooth comb, before handing me a new certificate and telling me to get the lights sorted for next time! Guess I was just lucky?
He then took ages to do the rest of the test, went over the car with a fine tooth comb, before handing me a new certificate and telling me to get the lights sorted for next time! Guess I was just lucky?
ATG said:
landroverdan said:
no ATG its only griffs that have the access panel ...
With respect, bollox. I own a 97 Chim and have done this job myself.you can get your arm in through the front so you dont need to jack it up and take the wheel off that way the car is on a level surface, and unfortunatly most of the parts fitted were low quality so they probably have seized up!Sometimes the headlight bowl fouls the top inside the body, i know most dealers used to replace all the bulbs at pdi.
landroverdan said:
ATG said:
landroverdan said:
no ATG its only griffs that have the access panel ...
With respect, bollox. I own a 97 Chim and have done this job myself.you can get your arm in through the front so you dont need to jack it up and take the wheel off that way the car is on a level surface, and unfortunatly most of the parts fitted were low quality so they probably have seized up!Sometimes the headlight bowl fouls the top inside the body, i know most dealers used to replace all the bulbs at pdi.
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