The ask an MOT tester thread

[mk2 24v]

Randy Winkman said:

Not specifically an MOT test question, but ......... are lots of people that work in garages giants?

I'm 6 foot tall but very often get my car after it's serviced or MOTd and the drivers seat is miles back. Surely not just my imagination?

For MOT, we have to check that the drivers seat moves back and forth and locks in place (unless the seat is bolted in place)

[richs2891]

A car registered 1st use August 1993, has a catayltic convertor fitted.Fir its emmions part of the MOT
Does it have the Basic emmision Test or the Non cat test as its first use is before 1 August 1994?

[JakeT]

Should be a BET test I believe.

[spookly]

Is it an MOT fail to have a light bulb warning light on the dash, but all bulbs are working correctly?

[richs2891]

JakeT said:

Should be a BET test I believe.

OK thanks - and if it fails the BET test then does the first use before 1st August 1994 part, means its subject to has a non CAT test ?

Edited by richs2891 on Wednesday 13th March 13:15

[Randy Winkman]

mk2 24v said:

For MOT, we have to check that the drivers seat moves back and forth and locks in place (unless the seat is bolted in place)

Cheers. I guess it often ends up right at the back and stays there.

[st3v3mazmit]

For an AWD car like a Mitsubishi Outlander with a viscous coupling between the front and rear axles, is it ok to carry out the brake testing part of a MOT using a rolling road style brake tester - one with 2 sets of rollers, 1 set for each axle - without damaging the viscous coupling? Or is it always necessary and better to use an internal Tapley style brake meter?

Reason for asking is a MOT tester that used to use Tapley meter on my car for a number of years now says he's checked the car's information and says it is ok to use the rolling road

[SimonTheSailor]

Why do you have to have working headlight washers on a car with HiD headlights ?

[cuprabob]

SimonTheSailor said:

Why do you have to have working headlight washers on a car with HiD headlights ?

Allegedly the reason for the rquirement was that Xenons are so bright that dirt can potentially cause the beam to scatter and potentially dazzle other road users.

[e-honda]

If your horn is broken would it pass with a reasonably loud squeeze horn attached to the dashboard? On a car that isn't from the 1930s

[shtu]

e-honda said:

If your horn is broken would it pass with a reasonably loud squeeze horn attached to the dashboard?

That's the best question this thread has ever had.

[TooLateForAName]

spookly said:

Is it an MOT fail to have a light bulb warning light on the dash, but all bulbs are working correctly?

Wasn't for me.

Warning light due to adaptive light fault but all bulbs and pattern good.

[Athlon]

shtu said:

That's the best question this thread has ever had.

Remarkably I would say yes, you can't have a bell, gong or siren but nothing about a squeeze horn!!

[spookly]

TooLateForAName said:

spookly said:

Is it an MOT fail to have a light bulb warning light on the dash, but all bulbs are working correctly?

Wasn't for me.

Warning light due to adaptive light fault but all bulbs and pattern good.

Thanks. Fingers crossed then, as the dash doesn't say which bulb is meant to have an issue, and VCDS doesn't know either.

[Jo-say8k]

I have a two wheel question if I may?

Does all wiring etc require a grommet?






Also does the lack of end plugs constitute a sharp edge?



Thank you

[TooLateForAName]

spookly said:

Thanks. Fingers crossed then, as the dash doesn't say which bulb is meant to have an issue, and VCDS doesn't know either.

Any aftermarket led bulbs?

Numberplate bulbs ok?

As a vag car, any codes at all? I had an error on one of the light controllers. iirc the height sensors can also throw a bulb warning.

It did confuse the tester, he spent ages going around tapping the lights.
Cant remember if he gave me an advisory or not

[horsemeatscandal]

horsemeatscandal said:

Not necessarily a testing question but...

If I put a personalised number plate on a car, all the previous MOTs under the old plate should show up under the new plate when you search the MOT history?

The MOT page states "If you think the MOT...details are wrong: contact DVSA". So I did and there response was basically "we can't help, it's the DVLA you want". Numpties.

I contacted the DVLA so expect the details to be corrected some time in the next 3 to 5 years.

[ro250]

cuprabob said:

SimonTheSailor said:

Why do you have to have working headlight washers on a car with HiD headlights ?

Allegedly the reason for the rquirement was that Xenons are so bright that dirt can potentially cause the beam to scatter and potentially dazzle other road users.

Unless them being faulty would give a dashboard warning I don't see how they could check they work. On my car they come on when they decide to (every x number of windscreen washes or something) - you can't manually squirt them.

[cuprabob]

ro250 said:

cuprabob said:

SimonTheSailor said:

Why do you have to have working headlight washers on a car with HiD headlights ?

Allegedly the reason for the rquirement was that Xenons are so bright that dirt can potentially cause the beam to scatter and potentially dazzle other road users.

Unless them being faulty would give a dashboard warning I don't see how they could check they work. On my car they come on when they decide to (every x number of windscreen washes or something) - you can't manually squirt them.

On my car (VW), it's the first windcreen wash after the headlights have been switched on and then every x number of windscreen washes thereafter. Maybe one of the testers can confirm how they test them, if they infact do.

[ro250]

cuprabob said:

ro250 said:

cuprabob said:

SimonTheSailor said:

Why do you have to have working headlight washers on a car with HiD headlights ?

Allegedly the reason for the rquirement was that Xenons are so bright that dirt can potentially cause the beam to scatter and potentially dazzle other road users.

Unless them being faulty would give a dashboard warning I don't see how they could check they work. On my car they come on when they decide to (every x number of windscreen washes or something) - you can't manually squirt them.

On my car (VW), it's the first windcreen wash after the headlights have been switched on and then every x number of windscreen washes thereafter. Maybe one of the testers can confirm how they test them, if they infact do.

I just looked up the exact wording in my manual (2017 4 Series) - it says "headlights are also cleaned simultaneously at practical intervals". Whatever "practical intervals" means!