The ask an MOT tester thread

[Mr.Jimbo]

coppernorks said:

MOT not for a couple of years, but I have an imported 20 plate Lincoln with LED headlights.

It's LHD, so dipped headlights are aligned for driving on the right so don't light up the left side of the road as RHD cars should.

Is this a failure, or can it be got round by masking the headlight lens ?

You can get through an MOT with beam benders that make the pattern flat, I assume a Lincoln doesn't have any way to swap the LHD pattern to RHD? (The LED lights on my Velar can be set to either, although they have a pretty flat overall pattern)

My imported Impreza went through an MOT with the stick-on beam converters before I fitted RHD headlights. On Amazon you can buy the LHD specific ones in English packaging (you don't want the ones from Halfords in this country as they obviously go RHD->LHD)

[coppernorks]

Mr.Jimbo said:

You can get through an MOT with beam benders that make the pattern flat, I assume a Lincoln doesn't have any way to swap the LHD pattern to RHD? (The LED lights on my Velar can be set to either, although they have a pretty flat overall pattern)

I'm looking into that via Forscan, although it's unlikely one can change a LHD to a RHD pattern,
Lincoln doesn't sell this model in RHD markets so it won't be an option,

The dipped beam pattern has the right hand uplift so a beam bender that flattens the
dipped beam might satisfy the MOT rules.

Thanks for all the replies.

[EthanSmale]

Should a car fail the MOT if both 'normal' brake lights are working, but the high level centre brake light is not working at all?

If it should pass, would it typically be an advisory?

[stevemcs]

EthanSmale said:

Should a car fail the MOT if both 'normal' brake lights are working, but the high level centre brake light is not working at all?

If it should pass, would it typically be an advisory?

Usually pass and advise

[eltax91]

coppernorks said:

I'm looking into that via Forscan, although it's unlikely one can change a LHD to a RHD pattern,
Lincoln doesn't sell this model in RHD markets so it won't be an option,

The dipped beam pattern has the right hand uplift so a beam bender that flattens the
dipped beam might satisfy the MOT rules.

Thanks for all the replies.

I once had a cracked headlight in my honda accord. I bought and fitted a new one. At MoT time it turned out the supplied one was for LHD car and it failed the MoT. IT then passed the retest with an advisory stating "headlight pattern deflectors fitted",

I then had a massive arguement with the headlight supplier and swapped it out for the correct one.

[EthanSmale]

stevemcs said:

Usually pass and advise

Thanks. I bought a cheap used car the other day which passed the MOT only a few days before. The centre brake light wasn't working and there was no mention of it on the MOT so it made me wonder

[essayer]

Pass or fail

[InitialDave]

essayer said:

Pass or fail

Depends, is the man mountain who drives it around to argue?

[XR]

essayer said:

Pass or fail

Specialised modifications are accepted however if the other mountings are the same It should fail on defective structure. If the seat belt buckle is attached to the seat frame then the weight of the occupant in the event of an impact will destroy those pieces of meccano.

[ritch]

will warped discs be a fail? pulsing can be felt during hard braking

[MG CHRIS]

ritch said:

will warped discs be a fail? pulsing can be felt during hard braking

Only if it effects brake readings but they would have to be seriously bad for that.

[Fastpedeller]

Switch for electric window is a 'rattling fit' in centre console (position of switch is horizontal, so gravity keeps it in place) likely to fail?

[mk2 24v]

Fastpedeller said:

Switch for electric window is a 'rattling fit' in centre console (position of switch is horizontal, so gravity keeps it in place) likely to fail?

Nope, not even interested in window switches for MOT

Although it is helpful sometimes if the drivers door window actually works properly

[Fastpedeller]

mk2 24v said:

Fastpedeller said:

Switch for electric window is a 'rattling fit' in centre console (position of switch is horizontal, so gravity keeps it in place) likely to fail?

Nope, not even interested in window switches for MOT

Although it is helpful sometimes if the drivers door window actually works properly

Thanks,
I'll have one with manual operation and the other with electric (don't ask!) I guess that's ok.

[anonymous-user]

For a 2-door coupe, must both front seat backs tilt forwards to allow access to/from the rear seats?

[Athlon]

280E said:

For a 2-door coupe, must both front seat backs tilt forwards to allow access to/from the rear seats?

No, in fact they don't have to tilt at all.

[anonymous-user]

Athlon said:

No, in fact they don't have to tilt at all.

Thanks for that - but wouldn't it make it difficult to test the rear belts?

[Mr Tidy]

I have a BMW E90 that has a rear light cluster and a few lights on the bootlid.

The "bulb-out" warning light came on last week and a walk around revealed it was the tail-light on the passenger side of the bootlid, but the one in the light cluster was working fine.

I got the boot-lid trim off but it isn't a blown bulb. Anyway the car is due an MOT soon, so I'm just wondering if the "bulb-out" warning light is a fail or an advisory?

Thanks.

[Athlon]

280E said:

Thanks for that - but wouldn't it make it difficult to test the rear belts?

It does but that is our worry not yours! This very question used to come up when we had proper training days.

[Athlon]

Mr Tidy said:

I have a BMW E90 that has a rear light cluster and a few lights on the bootlid.

The "bulb-out" warning light came on last week and a walk around revealed it was the tail-light on the passenger side of the bootlid, but the one in the light cluster was working fine.

I got the boot-lid trim off but it isn't a blown bulb. Anyway the car is due an MOT soon, so I'm just wondering if the "bulb-out" warning light is a fail or an advisory?

Thanks.

Bulb warning lamp is of no interest to us. A tail light not working is though, if one or more is out but more than 50% are lit then it will generate a 'minor' fault.