The ask an MOT tester thread

[Rotary Potato]

silentbrown said:

Not sure how a headlight levelling issue would fit in any of those categories? Unless it was over 10? days between fail and retest, in which case it's not a "partial retest" (and the full test fee can be charged).

It was within the 10 day period, and was a partial retest and not a full re-MOTing (which the car had to go through once I'd fixed the broken sensor that got picked up in the retest).



So to put it in plain English ... just the faults (and anything that may have been impacted by the faults) HAVE to be tested, but if the tester happens to notice a fail elsewhere while carrying out the partial retest, then he is obligated to fail the car. Am I right in that?

[Little Pete]

darkyoung1000 said:

A friend’s 09 plate diesel Suzuki Swift failed its MOT today on a few things, but the potential big one was the aborting of the opacity test with readings of 5.74 and 5.76.

Can any insight be provided into how bad his might be in terms of a retest please? She mostly does short journeys around town, so I’ve advised a tank of pre-test cleaner and a 20 mile drive in 3rd gear at 60mph….to be repeated before submission.

Everything else was just consumables, but I don’t want to waste her time and money if it’s an indication of underlying issues.

Any context from those seeing these figures on a more regular basis would be appreciated! Thanks.

I can't see why the test was aborted with those readings. Was the vehicle hot enough? If the vehicle fails on the first attempt, the emissions machine will then do up to five further attempts and if the average of any three of these is less than the limit it will pass. What usually happens with low mileage vehicles is you see the readings come down with each attempt. In this case an additive and road test will do the trick. If the readings stay high, or increase, then there could be an underlying issue. Try an additive and road test then ask the MOT station to carry out an emissions test before you do any other work.

[V1nce Fox]

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

[Little Pete]

Rotary Potato said:

It was within the 10 day period, and was a partial retest and not a full re-MOTing (which the car had to go through once I'd fixed the broken sensor that got picked up in the retest).



So to put it in plain English ... just the faults (and anything that may have been impacted by the faults) HAVE to be tested, but if the tester happens to notice a fail elsewhere while carrying out the partial retest, then he is obligated to fail the car. Am I right in that?

Basically yes.
I used a local test station before we were authorised back in the day and they said the original tester had to do the retest. I asked when I did my training and was told that any tester could do a retest provided they checked everything that was relevant, including any advisories. I was also told that if it came to light that something had been missed on the original test that wasn’t related to the fails, this was down to the original tester. At some point I guess it will come down to how observant/conscientious the person carrying out the retest is.

[Little Pete]

V1nce Fox said:

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

When we test the headlamp aim we are also looking for a distinct pattern to the beam image. When the lens is too bad the image loses definition and that is when it will fail.

[spikeyhead]

Little Pete said:

V1nce Fox said:

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

When we test the headlamp aim we are also looking for a distinct pattern to the beam image. When the lens is too bad the image loses definition and that is when it will fail.

Autoglym do a good kit for sorting out particularly bad ones, otherwise a good scrub with toothpaste may get you out of trouble.

[V1nce Fox]

spikeyhead said:

Little Pete said:

V1nce Fox said:

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

When we test the headlamp aim we are also looking for a distinct pattern to the beam image. When the lens is too bad the image loses definition and that is when it will fail.

Autoglym do a good kit for sorting out particularly bad ones, otherwise a good scrub with toothpaste may get you out of trouble.

Cheers for replies chaps. I’m hoping they polish it to save me the faff!

[TheOctaneAddict]

I've a question, what are the rules around 4 point harness instead of a normal seat belt? My MX5 currently has both, if I remove the standard belt and buckle and run with just the 4 point harness will that suffice?

[darkyoung1000]

Little Pete said:

I can't see why the test was aborted with those readings. Was the vehicle hot enough? If the vehicle fails on the first attempt, the emissions machine will then do up to five further attempts and if the average of any three of these is less than the limit it will pass. What usually happens with low mileage vehicles is you see the readings come down with each attempt. In this case an additive and road test will do the trick. If the readings stay high, or increase, then there could be an underlying issue. Try an additive and road test then ask the MOT station to carry out an emissions test before you do any other work.

Great, thank you. My gut feeling was it was short journeys and the fact that she doesn’t rev very high, so I’ll continue down that path, and get another emissions test done.

[Little Pete]

TheOctaneAddict said:

I've a question, what are the rules around 4 point harness instead of a normal seat belt? My MX5 currently has both, if I remove the standard belt and buckle and run with just the 4 point harness will that suffice?

if the harness works as it should, is secure and there is no excessive corrosion within 300mm of any mounting point it will be fine.

[Athlon]

Little Pete said:

TheOctaneAddict said:

I've a question, what are the rules around 4 point harness instead of a normal seat belt? My MX5 currently has both, if I remove the standard belt and buckle and run with just the 4 point harness will that suffice?

if the harness works as it should, is secure and there is no excessive corrosion within 300mm of any mounting point it will be fine.

Unless removing the original seat belt flashes up the SRS lamp...Then it will fail.

[Slow]

Athlon said:

Little Pete said:

TheOctaneAddict said:

I've a question, what are the rules around 4 point harness instead of a normal seat belt? My MX5 currently has both, if I remove the standard belt and buckle and run with just the 4 point harness will that suffice?

if the harness works as it should, is secure and there is no excessive corrosion within 300mm of any mounting point it will be fine.

Unless removing the original seat belt flashes up the SRS lamp...Then it will fail.

Which you could just stick a resistor in line to fool it to get the light to go off. Used to do it whenever fitting a racing steering wheel or bucket seats as they needed the airbag light bypassed.

Don’t do this if you have an airbag/srs light on for actual issues but to bypass removed things then I see no foul.

I’m not a tester so can’t comment on the technicals of it but know it will pass a mot.

[Little Pete]

Athlon said:

Unless removing the original seat belt flashes up the SRS lamp...Then it will fail.

Excellent point

[Little Pete]

Slow said:

Which you could just stick a resistor in line to fool it to get the light to go off. Used to do it whenever fitting a racing steering wheel or bucket seats as they needed the airbag light bypassed.

Don’t do this if you have an airbag/srs light on for actual issues but to bypass removed things then I see no foul.

I’m not a tester so can’t comment on the technicals of it but know it will pass a mot.

This would be ok to bypass the warning lamp if the seat belt had been replaced but a drivers airbag can only be replaced on a car that has been modified for competition use.

[V1nce Fox]

V1nce Fox said:

spikeyhead said:

Little Pete said:

V1nce Fox said:

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

When we test the headlamp aim we are also looking for a distinct pattern to the beam image. When the lens is too bad the image loses definition and that is when it will fail.

Autoglym do a good kit for sorting out particularly bad ones, otherwise a good scrub with toothpaste may get you out of trouble.

Cheers for replies chaps. I’m hoping they polish it to save me the faff!

Mini update, headlight failed on points as follows…



It’s a mk1 TT, theyre known for it!

[Tyre Tread]

V1nce Fox said:

V1nce Fox said:

spikeyhead said:

Little Pete said:

V1nce Fox said:

Currently waiting to hear back on an mot where a plastic headlight is a bit dull, how bad does it have to be to tip it from advisory to fail?

When we test the headlamp aim we are also looking for a distinct pattern to the beam image. When the lens is too bad the image loses definition and that is when it will fail.

Autoglym do a good kit for sorting out particularly bad ones, otherwise a good scrub with toothpaste may get you out of trouble.

Cheers for replies chaps. I’m hoping they polish it to save me the faff!

Mini update, headlight failed on points as follows…



It’s a mk1 TT, theyre known for it!

If just plastic lens clouding then 5 minutes with T-Cut and elbow grease will resolve that issue at least temporarily. I have to do it each year on the Honda Jazz

[TCX]

H,55 plate i,1.7 cdti astra passed emissions test,failed on eml,easy sort that n take for retest,do they need to do emissions again,tester said yes, centre manager not sure???

Edited by TCX on Thursday 5th January 17:05

[Slow]

Tyre Tread said:

If just plastic lens clouding then 5 minutes with T-Cut and elbow grease will resolve that issue at least temporarily. I have to do it each year on the Honda Jazz

Put some uv protectant on it and you won’t need to do it every year

[andrebar]

TCX said:

H,55 plate i,1.7 cdti astra passed emissions test,failed on eml,easy sort that n take for retest,do they need to do emissions again,tester said yes, centre manager not sure???

Edited by TCX on Thursday 5th January 17:05

Diesels 1st registered before 08 shouldn’t fail for an EML light.

[sassanach0]

andrebar said:

Diesels 1st registered before 08 shouldn’t fail for an EML light.

wot he said 1-7-08