New MOT regs ... a weird circumstance

[Freddy88FM]

Hi all,

Basically my car failed its MOT on Saturday due to the ABS light being on. I took the ABS sensors off a few months ago because it was engaging waaaaay to early and was 'gritty and unpredictable'... stops much quicker without ABS engaging.

Anyway, not a problem. Thought I'd just whack the sensors back on for the retest.

However, here's the problem: I also replaced drivers chair due to it being a bit tatty and broken with one without a side impact airbag. Consequently airbag light is also on.

Now... this wasn't a problem due to this not being an MOT fail... HOWEVER... I'm lead to believe that tomorrow is the day that it becomes a fail issue.

So my question is: my car failed the original test on the ABS light. If the new regs come out tomorrow and the retest isn't until next Thursday ... will they fail it because of the ABS light even though this wasn't a fail-able criterion when the car went in for the first test?

Don't want to call the MOT centre because I don't want to draw attention to it!

Thanks in advance!

[kambites]

I believe that strictly speaking it will be a "partial retest" meaning they only check what it failed on before. In practice it might depend on the garage, though.

[Freddy88FM]

kambites said:

I believe that strictly speaking it will be a "partial retest" meaning they only check what it failed on before.

Interesting... ok, let's see what happens! It's right next to the ABS light ... so fingers crossed they'll let it go.

[MG CHRIS]

On a retest your only allowed to test the failed items you cant re fail it on something else you should be ok.

[jagracer]

MG CHRIS said:

On a retest your only allowed to test the failed items you cant re fail it on something else you should be ok.

Nope, the clue is in "re-test"

[MG CHRIS]

jagracer said:

MG CHRIS said:

On a retest your only allowed to test the failed items you cant re fail it on something else you should be ok.

Nope, the clue is in "re-test"

Yes a re-test off the failed items to make sure the work has been carried out not to re do the mot.

[neiljohnson]

Can't get a straight answer from vosa on this I'm afraid but if a car is presented for retest you can fail it on other items otherwise what if you return with a newly broken windscreen or a different set of wheels with bald tyres???

Was the airbag light on the advisories??

[jagracer]

MG CHRIS said:

jagracer said:

MG CHRIS said:

On a retest your only allowed to test the failed items you cant re fail it on something else you should be ok.

Nope, the clue is in "re-test"

Yes a re-test off the failed items to make sure the work has been carried out not to re do the mot.

Well I've retested a car that colleague failed for one set of items and on it being represented i I failed on something different that he missed. One scenario I've had is that say a front offside tyre is illegal, they bring it back having swapped it with a rear tyre, do you mean I can't fail it because the front is now OK?

[MG CHRIS]

jagracer said:

MG CHRIS said:

jagracer said:

MG CHRIS said:

On a retest your only allowed to test the failed items you cant re fail it on something else you should be ok.

Nope, the clue is in "re-test"

Yes a re-test off the failed items to make sure the work has been carried out not to re do the mot.

Well I've retested a car that colleague failed for one set of items and on it being represented i I failed on something different that he missed. One scenario I've had is that say a front offside tyre is illegal, they bring it back having swapped it with a rear tyre, do you mean I can't fail it because the front is now OK?

From the mot tester in work he can only retest the things that failed the original mot so technical your last point is right but it's a huge grey area around it. Your first point with it re-failing on a part he missed im pretty sure he can't do that. Unless it something really serious wrong.

[ging84]

a lot of cars you can get a seat airbag bypass kit, this is usually just a resistor to fool the srs system that something is connected

[jagracer]

MG CHRIS said:

From the mot tester in work he can only retest the things that failed the original mot so technical your last point is right but it's a huge grey area around it. Your first point with it re-failing on a part he missed im pretty sure he can't do that. Unless it something really serious wrong.

Ah we'll MOT testing is mainly subjective and it's one testers opinion vs another's.

[MG CHRIS]

jagracer said:

MG CHRIS said:

From the mot tester in work he can only retest the things that failed the original mot so technical your last point is right but it's a huge grey area around it. Your first point with it re-failing on a part he missed im pretty sure he can't do that. Unless it something really serious wrong.

Ah we'll MOT testing is mainly subjective and it's one testers opinion vs another's.

Pretty much yes.

[mcford]

On a retest the items on which the car failed, any advisories and anything that could have been affected by effecting the repair are checked, if during the course of the retest anything else which is failable is noticed, then it gets failed.

The MOT certificate is proof that the vehicle met the minimum requirement at the time of issue. In the OPs case the minimum requirement will change when the car is presented for retest.

I had a car presented for retest with a wheel bolt missing that wasn't missing at the time of the initial test, I would have failed it if it hadn't been rectified before I issued the certificate.

[m0isty]

Unless anything has drastically changed in the last few years, there are certain fail items that only require a partial retest such as bulbs, wipers and emissions etc. and the rest require a FULL retest. There should be a poster in the MOT station which explains what type of retest is required and how much it will cost. The fact that a lot of testers don't bother to retest as much of the car as they should is beside the point.
Not sure where so many people get this "they can ONLY retest the items they have failed" idea from?

Edited by m0isty on Tuesday 19th March 20:51

[MG CHRIS]

m0isty said:

Unless anything has drastically changed in the last few years, there are certain fail items that only require a partial retest such as bulbs, wipers and emissions etc. and the rest require a FULL retest. There should be a poster in the MOT station which explains what type of retest is required and how much it will cost. The fact that a lot of testers don't bother to retest as much of the car as they should is beside the point.

Nope only if the vehicle is not returned for the re-test within 10 working days does it require a full mot or if you present the car for the re-test and a failed item is not properly repaired.

[m0isty]

MG CHRIS said:

Nope only if the vehicle is not returned for the re-test within 10 working days does it require a full mot or if you present the car for the re-test and a failed item is not properly repaired.

Pretty sure that refers to the fee the test centre can charge, not what is required to be retested.
Anyway, my point being that in many circumstances the tester has to retest much more than ONLY the item that the vehicle failed on.

Edited by m0isty on Tuesday 19th March 21:06