The ask an MOT tester thread

[NFT]

Had a car fail on brake pipes & rust everywhere a year ago,

under sills at back there was the ability to press a bubbled layer of rust on the inner sill where it curves & points down near jacking up point.
A small hole in front suspension strut where a normally open round point stuffed with a grommet was miss shaped both as seriously weakened I believe was wording., Told me that small strut hole wouldn't be any stronger when welded but had to fail it.

He said & I decided it was a wreck & got another.

Recently the same failing garage failed another car on front & front to rear pipes, bearing rough when rotated, ball joint and excessive brake fluctuation, both lower wishbone bushings excessively worn.

Took it for work another place and got a call refusing to do work unless I want it for no reason, all brake pipes are fine, just surface grime, wouldn't fail the ball joint, brake disc shield was lightly scraping disc, bearing is fine, bushings are a pass if I put it through with them, can't find brake fluctuation on his rollers.

Cars are old 2003 & 2006 coupes, Turns out first car I left elsewhere thinking it was a wreck needed a cleaning wheel on underbody & the inner sill then there tester was unable to condemn it with thumb press as it had no give so would pass it and pipes were on there way out, but would be passed with advisory at again, another garage.

Both times the first garage that failed them as if utter wrecks, (that garages Tester's, one for each car) said to get rid as its going to be a total waste of money (Welding first one & replacing everything wrong on second).

I think they have started up five years ago, second tester not long qualified, Is it that they have been taught to be more aggressive with failing or given the its game mentality they seem to have, where you look at the faults as winning if you find it, and the other two garages are wanting to get the customer on road for another year if they can be confident its not going to be a death trap as they are older blokes?

[Geffg]

My dad has a 2005 Honda Accord and the reverse lights aren’t working, will this fail the mot as it’s booked in next week. It’s not the bulb and the reverse indicator lights up on the dash ( auto box ), so the switch is working on the gear selector

[Athlon]

ashenfie said:

Thats classed as zone B and a crack for greater than 40mm is a fail.

Not any more it isn't. It has to adversely affect the view of the road and a crack does not do that: Failure for damage is only justified if the damage significantly affects the driver’s view of the road. You do not need to consider the effects on tall or short drivers.

Plus the 40mm is diameter not length..

[Athlon]

Geffg said:

My dad has a 2005 Honda Accord and the reverse lights aren’t working, will this fail the mot as it’s booked in next week. It’s not the bulb and the reverse indicator lights up on the dash ( auto box ), so the switch is working on the gear selector

Only testable after August 2009

[RP64]

My 2014 insignia passed its MOT recently with the following advisory:
Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

How concerned should I be, will it probably fail next year's MOT because of this? I assume replacing this part would be uneconomical and better to scrap the car?

[MG CHRIS]

RP64 said:

My 2014 insignia passed its MOT recently with the following advisory:
Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

How concerned should I be, will it probably fail next year's MOT because of this? I assume replacing this part would be uneconomical and better to scrap the car?

Surface corrosion on the subframe best case clean and give it a paint worse case need new subframe. Just tester covering himself or putting something on as a advisory.

[RP64]

How expensive would it be to replace a subframe? Are we talking hundreds or thousands?
I was a bit surprised really because the car isn't even 8 years old yet and it is washed frequently

[Slow]

RP64 said:

How expensive would it be to replace a subframe? Are we talking hundreds or thousands?
I was a bit surprised really because the car isn't even 8 years old yet and it is washed frequently

Few hundred with a good used one off eBay. Being fwd there’s no diffs and driveshafts to add complexity.

I would be surprised if it’s actually in bad condition and not a few little patches of surface rust where paint has come off.

[stevemcs]

I’d guess it’s just surface rust, nothing that a wire brush and tin of paint wouldn’t cure

[NFT]

Hi guys, after having opposite opinions on previous cars I am left confused & inspecting another ahead of time myself,

Ball joint (front single lower ball joint setup on standard FWD car),
Is finding no play or clicks/noise trying to push wheel in & out of wheel arch at top & bottom of wheel sufficient to know ball joints will pass or do I also need to load wishbone under ball joint & knuckle and try pry it apart vertically at bottom of knuckle to see if find vertical play?

Rear control arm bushings(round ones), seem crackles but prybar on wishbone/control arm shows the pressed metal sheaf of bushing lost adhesion as can move up & down a few mm, does its job, stays in place down very bumpy road that scrapes sub fame welded toe/transport ring occasionally, is this a fail due to ability to push the control arm up & down the bushing w/pry bar?

Is normally being unable to push wheel towards back of car or to the front (on road & in air) a good indicator of bushing pass-ability? Or is this not going to show cracks that would fail MOT so cleaning dust/grime & looking also needed.

Brake pipes, near connecting bolt to flexi hose it was slightly bloated but cleaned off without girth visibly shrinking, is this likely a pass?

Cheers,

Edited by NFT on Saturday 25th June 14:40

[RP64]

I have an advisory on my MOT for an oil leak but not excessive. This is in addition to the corrosion on the rear subframe.
How concerned should I be? The car did 12,000 miles since the last service and I didn't ever need to top up the oil. Should I be concerned? Should I try to get it fixed? The car is a 2014 vauxhall insignia 2 litre diesel. It has been a fantastic car for me for the last 6 years but now has over 170k miles and I'm wondering whether I should spend money on repairs (beyond what I've already spent) or is it just time to move it on. It won't be worth much to sell it. It is in great condition cosmetically and has had all of its servicing, a recent cambelt change and lots of other work. How much would I be likely to pay for this oil leak to be fixed?

Edited by RP64 on Sunday 26th June 16:11

[spikeyhead]

From where is it leaking oil?

[MG CHRIS]

RP64 said:

I have an advisory on my MOT for an oil leak but not excessive. This is in addition to the corrosion on the rear subframe.
How concerned should I be? The car did 12,000 miles since the last service and I didn't ever need to top up the oil. Should I be concerned? Should I try to get it fixed? The car is a 2014 vauxhall insignia 2 litre diesel. It has been a fantastic car for me for the last 6 years but now has over 170k miles and I'm wondering whether I should spend money on repairs (beyond what I've already spent) or is it just time to move it on. It won't be worth much to sell it. It is in great condition cosmetically and has had all of its servicing, a recent cambelt change and lots of other work. How much would I be likely to pay for this oil leak to be fixed?

Edited by RP64 on Sunday 26th June 16:11

I be shocked to see a vauxhall without a oil leak. Could be for a load of different areas you need a garage to investigate further. Or just keep an eye on the level and monitor make sure it's not leaking out onto the road. If you see oil strains under the vehicle when parked up time to get it looked at.

[MG CHRIS]

NFT said:

Hi guys, after having opposite opinions on previous cars I am left confused & inspecting another ahead of time myself,

Ball joint (front single lower ball joint setup on standard FWD car),
Is finding no play or clicks/noise trying to push wheel in & out of wheel arch at top & bottom of wheel sufficient to know ball joints will pass or do I also need to load wishbone under ball joint & knuckle and try pry it apart vertically at bottom of knuckle to see if find vertical play?

Rear control arm bushings(round ones), seem crackles but prybar on wishbone/control arm shows the pressed metal sheaf of bushing lost adhesion as can move up & down a few mm, does its job, stays in place down very bumpy road that scrapes sub fame welded toe/transport ring occasionally, is this a fail due to ability to push the control arm up & down the bushing w/pry bar?

Is normally being unable to push wheel towards back of car or to the front (on road & in air) a good indicator of bushing pass-ability? Or is this not going to show cracks that would fail MOT so cleaning dust/grime & looking also needed.

Brake pipes, near connecting bolt to flexi hose it was slightly bloated but cleaned off without girth visibly shrinking, is this likely a pass?

Cheers,

Edited by NFT on Saturday 25th June 14:40

Advisory at worse may not even get a mention. Brake pipes have to be seriously bad to fail. Same with bushes and ball joints. Split bushes aren't a reason for a fail got to be excessive movment.

[RP64]

MG CHRIS said:

I be shocked to see a vauxhall without a oil leak. Could be for a load of different areas you need a garage to investigate further. Or just keep an eye on the level and monitor make sure it's not leaking out onto the road. If you see oil strains under the vehicle when parked up time to get it looked at.

Well the MOT advisory was the first I knew of any oil leak. Never any oil underneath the car, it never needs topping up and I can't see any oil when I lift the bonnet (although I'm not an expert and don't really know what I'm looking at). So if it's fairly minor, don't worry? The car has done a lot of miles now, it doesn't feel worth spending lots of money on repairs

[Little Pete]

RP64 said:

I have an advisory on my MOT for an oil leak but not excessive. This is in addition to the corrosion on the rear subframe.
How concerned should I be? The car did 12,000 miles since the last service and I didn't ever need to top up the oil. Should I be concerned? Should I try to get it fixed? The car is a 2014 vauxhall insignia 2 litre diesel. It has been a fantastic car for me for the last 6 years but now has over 170k miles and I'm wondering whether I should spend money on repairs (beyond what I've already spent) or is it just time to move it on. It won't be worth much to sell it. It is in great condition cosmetically and has had all of its servicing, a recent cambelt change and lots of other work. How much would I be likely to pay for this oil leak to be fixed?

Edited by RP64 on Sunday 26th June 16:11

The best person to ask all this is the one who tested the car. Call into the test station and ask the tester, most of us are helpful!

[alangla]

MG CHRIS said:

RP64 said:

My 2014 insignia passed its MOT recently with the following advisory:
Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

How concerned should I be, will it probably fail next year's MOT because of this? I assume replacing this part would be uneconomical and better to scrap the car?

Surface corrosion on the subframe best case clean and give it a paint worse case need new subframe. Just tester covering himself or putting something on as a advisory.

Is that not likely to still be under warranty? Pretty sure most cars in the 2010s had 10-12 year anti-corrosion warranties. Worth talking to Vauxhall?

[cuprabob]

alangla said:

Is that not likely to still be under warranty? Pretty sure most cars in the 2010s had 10-12 year anti-corrosion warranties. Worth talking to Vauxhall?

With most manufacturers, the warranty is only on the bodywork and only if the corrosion is from the inside out. Subframe will definitely not be covered.

[MG CHRIS]

alangla said:

MG CHRIS said:

RP64 said:

My 2014 insignia passed its MOT recently with the following advisory:
Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

How concerned should I be, will it probably fail next year's MOT because of this? I assume replacing this part would be uneconomical and better to scrap the car?

Surface corrosion on the subframe best case clean and give it a paint worse case need new subframe. Just tester covering himself or putting something on as a advisory.

Is that not likely to still be under warranty? Pretty sure most cars in the 2010s had 10-12 year anti-corrosion warranties. Worth talking to Vauxhall?

That be on body and only really covered if manufacture serviced suspension and subframes won't be covered. There was a known issues with Corsa subframes rear ones rusting and snapping which would be replaced free of charge.

[NFT]

MG CHRIS said:

Advisory at worse may not even get a mention. Brake pipes have to be seriously bad to fail. Same with bushes and ball joints. Split bushes aren't a reason for a fail got to be excessive movment.

Many thanks,

Is loss of bond on a bushing sheaf & intact outer rubber ring of a pressed lower rear (round) control arm bushing, allowing the vertical movement of wishbone up & down it with a prybar on wishbone only, to deliberately avoid lifting bushing & wishbone together to push it up & down excessive play?

Ask as friend wants me to test spraying some AT-205 rubber rejuvenator to see if it swells a little to tighten it enough to prevent forced prybar movement & see if it then looks anything like new before I fit new wishbones i already have for some future proofing of MOT passes.

Cheers.