Latest MOT 'enhancements'

Many of them are to do with the changes in car equipment that have crept in over the last few years. Some are just common sense and are actually things that were dropped off the failures and have been re-introduced. It is true that some of the 'new' failures will take less valuable cars off the road, especially ones that will involve expensive fault finding and parts, especially electronic bits.

The speedo requirement is simply: Is it there. Engine malfunction light can be annoying, I know of at least one car that has had the light on for years, the fault is the heater circuit of the lambda sensor, it does not affect the MoT emissions at all (possibly during warm up it might?) A new sensor is nearly as much as the car is worth!

Which new bits do you think are particularly bad?

Thanks for that perspective. I don't even know what the changes are ! I just thought, I know simplistically, that if the suspension, steering, brakes, lights and emissions are OK and bits aren't dropping off, what harm can it do or like so much regulation, does it seem to be industry driven to ramp up demand! I wonder if a better approach to increased road safety would be more unmarked police cars!

But that won't stop you having a rant, eh?

Have a look at the tester's handbook -

The sections that have been amended recently are flagged by the highlight in the margin.

As for "Bringing us in line with the EU" - the UK's MOT is way ahead of the basic harmonised EU standard, but a long way short of Germany's TuV or various other countries who actually demand parts are approved for use on the specific vehicle. F'rinstance, I know Belgium tests dampers on a shaker plate for function, way above the UK's mere "is it leaking?" test.

Oh come now... hardly a rant ! ;-)

I was just wondering if it's all necessary or just as I said, industry driven to increase demand. The Mail suggest it is about harmonisation.

The Wail "blame" something on the EU! Shock, horror, hold the front page!

FFS, The Wail probably blame the weather on the EU, too...

Many of them are to do with the changes in car equipment that have crept in over the last few years. Some are just common sense and are actually things that were dropped off the failures and have been re-introduced. It is true that some of the 'new' failures will take less valuable cars off the road, especially ones that will involve expensive fault finding and parts, especially electronic bits.

The speedo requirement is simply: Is it there. Engine malfunction light can be annoying, I know of at least one car that has had the light on for years, the fault is the heater circuit of the lambda sensor, it does not affect the MoT emissions at all (possibly during warm up it might?) A new sensor is nearly as much as the car is worth!

Which new bits do you think are particularly bad?

What exactly will they test with the seat function ?

I often wonder what they do in, say, Italy.

Not possible to fit a generic type at about 30 quid?

Italy's one of those with TUV-style specification checks.

Don't know what TUV means, I'm afraid. But they do have some very rough-looking cars on the road, over there. Perhaps they're actually safer than they look.

It has an odd plate on it rather than screw in, I have managed to find a pattern one one mail order at about 150 quid (genuine is over 250). I did wonder about just wiring in a suitable resistor in place of the heater element, then the ecu would think the element worked and put the light out. When it fails the test (as it should this year) I'll fix it one way or another.

Which was my point really. Who ever died from a dash light? As someone pointed out in the Mail, it's just forcing cars to be scrapped because they're uneconomical to repair not unsafe in any way, so it then becomes a question of what the MOT is for?.

Make a replacement plate, but with a bog standard lambda boss welded to it...? (Or just weld a boss straight into the exhaust)

What car are we talking about, btw?

The light being on is a symptom, not the problem itself.

Like I say, when it fails I'll fix it, one way or another. it is a 97 toyota avensis 1.8

Ah, in that case - just do the world a favour and lob it away. Nobody'll miss it...

Ah, no wonder you're an MOT advocate ! ;-)

You raise an interesting point. Perhaps the MOT _should_ incorporate a weighting factor discriminating against terminally dull cars?

I think the owner would and at his age it might finish him off.