Speedometer and MoT test

[kambites]

Is the functionality of the speedometer checked during an MoT test?

The testers handbook is rather ambiguous, simply saying that it must not obviously be broken. It does not say whether they should test that it actually goes up and down with the speed of the car.

[Rich_W]

Not testable.

Legally you do. But not for the MOT. Love the little paradoxes.

[mcford]

The speedometer section in the MOT testers handbook applies to class 5 only, a car is usually class 4. The only time that a tester will look at it during the test, will be to get the mileage reading.

[pimping]

good to know as the speedometer/fuelgauge/temp gauge have all died on my mark 2 mondeo. the rev er still works though! (3000 revs equals roughly 70 mph).

[Rich_W]

pimping said:

good to know as the speedometer/fuelgauge/temp gauge have all died on my mark 2 mondeo. the rev er still works though! (3000 revs equals roughly 70 mph).

Without a operational speedo you are driving an illegal car.

[Or888t]

Rich_W said:

pimping said:

good to know as the speedometer/fuelgauge/temp gauge have all died on my mark 2 mondeo. the rev er still works though! (3000 revs equals roughly 70 mph).

Without a operational speedo you are driving an illegal car.

Stops the mileage going up aswell doesent it?

[PHmember]

Funny thing is, the speedo can be broken & yet will still pass, but if you happen to have an empty washer bottle they can fail you. How the hell does that work?

[Monkeylegend]

Rich_W said:

pimping said:

good to know as the speedometer/fuelgauge/temp gauge have all died on my mark 2 mondeo. the rev er still works though! (3000 revs equals roughly 70 mph).

Without a operational speedo you are driving an illegal car.

Is it still illegal if you have a working Sat nav with speed indication?

[Balmoral Green]

I always ubderstood it that if you had a speedometer, it had to work, but you didn't have to have one, and if you didn't, that was OK (EG a Vintage/Veteran car).

[jagracer]

PHmember said:

Funny thing is, the speedo can be broken & yet will still pass, but if you happen to have an empty washer bottle they can fail you. How the hell does that work?

Because the washers wouldn't work, simples innit.

[redstu]

PHmember said:

Funny thing is, the speedo can be broken & yet will still pass, but if you happen to have an empty washer bottle they can fail you. How the hell does that work?

that's because there is no easy money to be made from pulling people for empty washer bottles, get your speed wrong and the authorities are quids in!

[Bricol]

I believe you can be fined for an empty washer bottle - or even frozen and inoperative bottles and nozzles. Easy to spot I guess - fithy, smeared windscreen. Which is another reason I like my Lancias - you can operate the washers independantly of the wipers, so you can see if it's worth smearing all the crap all over the screen.

Bri

[jagracer]

redstu said:

PHmember said:

Funny thing is, the speedo can be broken & yet will still pass, but if you happen to have an empty washer bottle they can fail you. How the hell does that work?

that's because there is no easy money to be made from pulling people for empty washer bottles, get your speed wrong and the authorities are quids in!

Probably easier to get someone for non working windscreen washers than speeding and do you really want another item to be part of the MOT test, especially one that will significantly increase the test fee you pay.

[Rich_W]

Monkeylegend said:

Rich_W said:

pimping said:

good to know as the speedometer/fuelgauge/temp gauge have all died on my mark 2 mondeo. the rev er still works though! (3000 revs equals roughly 70 mph).

Without a operational speedo you are driving an illegal car.

Is it still illegal if you have a working Sat nav with speed indication?

Not sure. Posibly be OK. IIRC the rule is something like "way of knowing your speed"

[kambites]

Rich_W said:

Without a operational speedo you are driving an illegal car.

I've got an operational speedo, it's the combination of the rev counter and my brain.

And the tom tom, as long as I'm not in a tunnel.

[mcford]

Monkeylegend said:

Is it still illegal if you have a working Sat nav with speed indication?

It could be a MOT fail, dependant upon whether and where it is stuck to the windscreen.

[shakotan]

Current MOT does not test the speedo, but Constructions and Use require it to be fitted and working

The new MOT regs, to be introduced in January 2012, do require a working speedo, however.

[jagracer]

shakotan said:

The new MOT regs, to be introduced in January 2012, do require a working speedo, however.

Where did your source for that come from?

[shakotan]

jagracer said:

shakotan said:

The new MOT regs, to be introduced in January 2012, do require a working speedo, however.

Where did your source for that come from?

Page 80, Item 7.8

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?...

Reversing lights are also included now

[jagracer]

shakotan said:

jagracer said:

shakotan said:

The new MOT regs, to be introduced in January 2012, do require a working speedo, however.

Where did your source for that come from?

Page 80, Item 7.8

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?...

Reversing lights are also included now

Ah that one again, that covers all classes and at least a few items on that list have been removed from the class 4 test. There is nothing definite on what's coming in at the moment and no suitable way of testing a speedo anyway. Reverse lights are not included on the test now.