Change in MOT rules : headlights?
Discussion
The Mrs's 106 has just failed its MOT on headlamp adjustment. Mentioned it to a friend who was completely unsurprised as this is the 4th car he has heard of in recent weeks to have failed on this. The car passed last year without issue, and has had no damage, so how can it be fine last year and not this year? Had there been a regulation change recently?
I had a 5 Series that failed because the plastic regulators that hold the bulb holders upright failed ... £10 part (or £200 for a new headlight from a garage that doesn't know what it's doing)...
So it may not be the rules, but failures within headlights can certainly happen as springs, clips etc. work loose and the bulb drops to the floor.
So it may not be the rules, but failures within headlights can certainly happen as springs, clips etc. work loose and the bulb drops to the floor.
onyx39 said:
The car passed last year without issue, and has had no damage, so how can it be fine last year and not this year? Had there been a regulation change recently?
It doesn't really work like that though. Otherwise it would pass every year, for ever, as long as you don't damage it. Things deteriorate.
otherman said:
It doesn't really work like that though. Otherwise it would pass every year, for ever, as long as you don't damage it. Things deteriorate.
Agreed, but I am surprised as it is not a moving part, but the reason I posted was because of the fact that I know so many people having had headlamps pointed out ATM.'But you passed it last year' and 'couldn't you have adjusted it there and then to pass it'. Two of the usual lines.
The purpose of the MOT test is to check the car, highlight problems and report accordingly. Not to resolve small issues as a goodwill gesture, most of which are usually the result of owners being too lazy to carry out basic checks before taking their car for its MOT.
MOT testers are not permitted to carry out repairs during the test. Even if they were, I fail to see why people think its a given that small issues should be resolved there and then.
Our roads are crap. Thousands of thuds a year. Headlights do fall out of alignment and they are rightly highlighted and failed at MOT time.
The purpose of the MOT test is to check the car, highlight problems and report accordingly. Not to resolve small issues as a goodwill gesture, most of which are usually the result of owners being too lazy to carry out basic checks before taking their car for its MOT.
MOT testers are not permitted to carry out repairs during the test. Even if they were, I fail to see why people think its a given that small issues should be resolved there and then.
Our roads are crap. Thousands of thuds a year. Headlights do fall out of alignment and they are rightly highlighted and failed at MOT time.
Had a friend look at the headlights yesterday, he could find nothing wrong with them. He did notice that the headlight adjuster in the car had been set to 3 instead of 0, asked the mrs about this, she looked rather sheepish, and apologised.
Took the car back for a retest this morning, passed with flying colours, interestingly enough, they did not charge for the re-test, despite previously stating that they would. Is it a mistake by the tester not to check this switch in the car?
Took the car back for a retest this morning, passed with flying colours, interestingly enough, they did not charge for the re-test, despite previously stating that they would. Is it a mistake by the tester not to check this switch in the car?
MondeoMan1981 said:
iva cosworth said:
If its just a simple re alignment job,many testers will do it for nothing anyway.
This is what happened with mine last year, failed on beam, adjusted and retested FOC.onyx39 said:
Had a friend look at the headlights yesterday, he could find nothing wrong with them. He did notice that the headlight adjuster in the car had been set to 3 instead of 0, asked the mrs about this, she looked rather sheepish, and apologised.
Took the car back for a retest this morning, passed with flying colours, interestingly enough, they did not charge for the re-test, despite previously stating that they would. Is it a mistake by the tester not to check this switch in the car?
Oh dear - you would have thought an MOT tester would check this...although I suppose strickly speaking they shoulden't? They are allowed to replace bulbs and tighten up loose bolts now though.Took the car back for a retest this morning, passed with flying colours, interestingly enough, they did not charge for the re-test, despite previously stating that they would. Is it a mistake by the tester not to check this switch in the car?
I recently took my bike in for an MOT, and it failed becasue the side light bulb (or whatever it's called on a bike) had blown. He replaced the bulb, issued a failure notice and an immidiate pass notice.
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