Airbag light - MOT failure?

[lost in espace]

I know the MOT regs are changing shortly and am looking at buying a car with an airbag light on, can seem to find an answer with google, is this is now going to fail the MOT?

[thinfourth2]

It will fail

[anonymous-user]

Yes.
Saying that my Uncle's car passed with an airbag light on so probably depends on where you take it.

[warch]

Its not a MINI is it? Yeah airbags and tractional control lights will be fail points in the 2012 Mot regulations. Wonder if you can legimately remove the bulb on the dash, presumably they can't test it then.

[stemll]

Taking the bulb out won't pass either as it won't go through the check process (same as with ABS today)

[Dr Interceptor]

Yes it will fail, under the new regs the MOT tester will need to turn the ignition to position 2, check all the relevant lights come illuminate, then extinguish as normal.

For some cars, this will be a serious problem - Discovery 2's with their 'three amigo' warning lights, MINIs and other Rovers/MGs with airbag warning lights...

I wonder also when they'll make it compulsory that airbags are replaced at the end of their 10 year service life? In cars like our 2002 E430 estate with ten airbags, it'd make them completely worthless.

[warch]

stemll said:

Taking the bulb out won't pass either as it won't go through the check process (same as with ABS today)

Interesting, so you could fail an Mot for having a non working airbag light too. Didn't realise that they actually tested ABS, how do they do that?

[kambites]

PSBuckshot said:

Yes.
Saying that my Uncle's car passed with an airbag light on so probably depends on where you take it.

That'll be because the new rule doesn't come in until the first of January, I think.

[chriscpritchard]

warch said:

Interesting, so you could fail an Mot for having a non working airbag light too. Didn't realise that they actually tested ABS, how do they do that?

They check the ABS light goes on when you turn the ignition to position 2, then ensure the light goes off and stays off with the engine on

[kambites]

warch said:

Didn't realise that they actually tested ABS, how do they do that?

As I understand it they don't, but they do check that the light isn't on (and possibly that it lights up correctly when you turn the ignition on).

[6fire]

On this subject, I have an old passat with the airbag light illuminated. My local specialist has read the codes and diagnosed it as a fault with a sensor.

Can i just buy a sensor and fit it myself, or do I need it coded? So long as I disconnect the battery before removing the old one, it's not going to set the airbags off is it?

I've some spare time over Christmas and could do with saving myself the 3 hours labour charge I was looking at... It's bad enough that the sensor is £140 Inc the dreaded.

[Tonsko]

Sigh. This is going to further kill the 2nd hand market, and might make it harder for folks to get about if they're on a tight budget.

In other news, I didn't know that it will only be from 01/01/12 that it's a legal req't to have a working speedo!

Here's the AA's interpretation of the new req'ts for ease of reference.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing...

Edited by Tonsko on Wednesday 14th December 12:06

[thinfourth2]

I can see a way out for airbag lights

http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/info_74205.html

Tonsko said:

In other news, I didn't know that it will only be from 01/01/12 that it's a legal req't to have a working speedo!

how will hey test that?

no road test in the MOT

[warch]

kambites said:

warch said:

Didn't realise that they actually tested ABS, how do they do that?

As I understand it they don't, but they do check that the light isn't on (and possibly that it lights up correctly when you turn the ignition on).

I'm genuinely interesting in things like MOT's. The MOT has some strange anomalies, presumably to cope with unusual vehicles presented for test. Like if you present a car without a windscreen or with provision for folding the screen flat it doesn't need windscreen wipers. You can also have an assymetrical headlight arrangement for example. I heard (actually this was probably bks) that you could present a vehicle with a missing or non functioning engine and they wouldn't be able to test the emissons.

Actually to be honest I reckon my local test centre would tell me to fk off and bring it back with a working engine...

[cheadle hulme]

bks, forgot this was coming.

Can I get my shed tested now (some 6 months early). Airbag light is on.

[Tonsko]

thinfourth2 said:

how will hey test that?

no road test in the MOT

There's a few other bits to check on it as well:

[quote]Speedometer

The car will fail if a speedometer is not fitted, is incomplete, inoperative, has a dial glass broken/missing or cannot be illuminated.

How they test 'inoperative' though I'm not sure.

[DaveH23]

My old 306 passed 2 years runinng with a bit of black tape over the glass on the dash.

Found out the hard way but it did actually work.

[Gareth79]

Dr Interceptor said:

I wonder also when they'll make it compulsory that airbags are replaced at the end of their 10 year service life? In cars like our 2002 E430 estate with ten airbags, it'd make them completely worthless.

Apparently the manufacturers have always extended the declared service life of the airbags so it wouldn't be a problem. I assume if it is found that a certain make/model has problems at a certain age they would say "they are actually unreliable now".

[Gareth79]

thinfourth2 said:

I can see a way out for airbag lights

http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/info_74205.html

Not the first time it has been suggested. A cheaper method would be a 555 timer - cost would be 50p of parts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/555_timer_IC#Monostab...

[stedale]

If it's a Clio wiggle the dodgy connector under the passenger seat and the light will go out. (NB this does not work in the event of a slipped cam belt - bitter experience)