The new rules will take some getting used to,for instance,a reverse light inoperative,minor(pass),but if it doesn't emit a white light,major(fail). Work that one out. 
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Craigyoung said:Ours due its first one in August , not looking forward to that !
You should be okay given the age of your car. But could now start filling up with Ultimate or V Power and forgo any further holidays
- Mar 8, 2009
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More punishment for us 'peasants' who can't afford new vehicles, still suppose it's a way of easing congestion if not pollution, keep the peasantry off the roads!
Quick update we had a guy from another garage look at it he said it’s a matter of interpretation so now I have a pass this will be a massive grey area
I think there has been quite a lot of scaremongering in the press.......
My 2001 Mondeo diesel does not (and never has had) a DPF, so the new emission rules do not apply.
My reversing lights have not worked for many years. Only applicable to 2009 onwards, and even then apparently only a 'minor fault' so not a fail.
(Anyone spotted anything new that I should be aware of for my car?)
My 2001 Mondeo diesel does not (and never has had) a DPF, so the new emission rules do not apply.
My reversing lights have not worked for many years. Only applicable to 2009 onwards, and even then apparently only a 'minor fault' so not a fail.
(Anyone spotted anything new that I should be aware of for my car?)
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bode5997 said:
I find it quite worrying that something like this is so subjective. Even with a scrupulous garage you could finish up with a fail and major remedial expense. At one time I was involved with gas turbines and periodically they would be checked for exhaust emissions (smoke). It was generally done early morning as the sky is often pale. We were issued with a set of cards to use as comparators. If the smoke visible colour was beyond a certain level then the engine was subject to a water wash and sometimes walnut shell ingestion to clean the compressor. Then retested. Not totally scientific but better than the present MoT subjectivity.
Be interested to know if the Goverment has given your uncles garage any additional guidance on what constitutes visible smoke, and does it have to be viewed against a white/pale background.
OC,Let me give you a little insight into an mot station.These are generalised but you'll get the idea.
To be a tester you have to be a fully qualified technician at least over 21yrs old,and pass the course(can't remember but 2 days?)then you go back to work,shortly after a regional vosa rep comes out to watch you do a dummy test at your garage.He signs you off and you're good to go.
Now to your question in your last post,garages are traffic light graded by vosa,green=good,they only come out to see you once every 3yrs usually half day,watch one of you do a test,check all paperwork and training is good,Amber=good,but you've done something to be on their radar,been caught out by a mystery shopper,missed bits,poor paperwork etc...they will usually call in once a year or so,Red=poor,you've been up to no good,example,local guy did 27 tests a day for 6mths,7days a week!they set up surveillance,went to jail for 6mths,guess what,back trading I believe.(basically he was logging on 10mins not even doing a test)they'll be round frequently.
As for your other question,we have to read all special notices and make our own decisions based on how we interpret it,this is why so many grey areas,Nobody has ever come from vosa and explained anything about changes EVER.
They're only normal people,but it's a bit like the tax man turning up unannounced and demanding to see all your paperwork,you do wet yourself they have the power to shut you down there and then,even something like missing play in a ball joint.So if you think mot testers are being a bit harsh on you,they may think you're a mystery shopper?
Hope this gives you a little insight into our world.
To be a tester you have to be a fully qualified technician at least over 21yrs old,and pass the course(can't remember but 2 days?)then you go back to work,shortly after a regional vosa rep comes out to watch you do a dummy test at your garage.He signs you off and you're good to go.
Now to your question in your last post,garages are traffic light graded by vosa,green=good,they only come out to see you once every 3yrs usually half day,watch one of you do a test,check all paperwork and training is good,Amber=good,but you've done something to be on their radar,been caught out by a mystery shopper,missed bits,poor paperwork etc...they will usually call in once a year or so,Red=poor,you've been up to no good,example,local guy did 27 tests a day for 6mths,7days a week!they set up surveillance,went to jail for 6mths,guess what,back trading I believe.(basically he was logging on 10mins not even doing a test)they'll be round frequently.
As for your other question,we have to read all special notices and make our own decisions based on how we interpret it,this is why so many grey areas,Nobody has ever come from vosa and explained anything about changes EVER.
They're only normal people,but it's a bit like the tax man turning up unannounced and demanding to see all your paperwork,you do wet yourself
they have the power to shut you down there and then,even something like missing play in a ball joint.So if you think mot testers are being a bit harsh on you,they may think you're a mystery shopper?Hope this gives you a little insight into our world.
- Mar 14, 2005
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Brasso's comment reflects the Governments approach to many of the prices of legislation they produce.
There is often some unforeseen event that causes politicians to think they should legislate. The government responds and basically says, you "must achieve this" but they don't tell you how to do it. They then put in place an inspection organisation, often a Quango, who go round and decide whether your achieving the end result set out in the act of parliament. If your not making the grade in their eyes, they can arbitrarily curtail your activity, even close you down.
But in more specific areas, not only are you judged on the end result, but also on how you do it, even when there is no specific procedure laid down.
Incideously the inspection organisations are often given new criteria on which to make judgements, but the people actually trying to comply are not automatically made aware or trained to meet them. Sometimes the inspectors are given agendas to force through a party political wish. For example, the smoke emmision from diesels to demonise them, and in education Ofsted's role in the spread of Academies., And I'm sure there are plenty of other examples.
When it comes to the assessment of smoke from an exhaust, leaving it to the subjective opinion of the tester is a bad move not only for the vehicle owner but also for the tester. The stations have emmision test equipment, and I know from work we used to do on laboritory testing gas appliances there are adaptions that allow for the detection of smoke that could be added to the gear.
Basically exhaust gasses are passed through a fresh white filter paper. Any smoke will leave a trace on the paper. The paper can the be checked for light reflection and will give an occlusion reading which can be related via tables to account for things like engine size or fuel to produce a smoke index. The test procedure would need be strictly adhered to, to prevent over or under exposure, and to make sure the test consistently applied.
There is often some unforeseen event that causes politicians to think they should legislate. The government responds and basically says, you "must achieve this" but they don't tell you how to do it. They then put in place an inspection organisation, often a Quango, who go round and decide whether your achieving the end result set out in the act of parliament. If your not making the grade in their eyes, they can arbitrarily curtail your activity, even close you down.
But in more specific areas, not only are you judged on the end result, but also on how you do it, even when there is no specific procedure laid down.
Incideously the inspection organisations are often given new criteria on which to make judgements, but the people actually trying to comply are not automatically made aware or trained to meet them. Sometimes the inspectors are given agendas to force through a party political wish. For example, the smoke emmision from diesels to demonise them, and in education Ofsted's role in the spread of Academies., And I'm sure there are plenty of other examples.
When it comes to the assessment of smoke from an exhaust, leaving it to the subjective opinion of the tester is a bad move not only for the vehicle owner but also for the tester. The stations have emmision test equipment, and I know from work we used to do on laboritory testing gas appliances there are adaptions that allow for the detection of smoke that could be added to the gear.
Basically exhaust gasses are passed through a fresh white filter paper. Any smoke will leave a trace on the paper. The paper can the be checked for light reflection and will give an occlusion reading which can be related via tables to account for things like engine size or fuel to produce a smoke index. The test procedure would need be strictly adhered to, to prevent over or under exposure, and to make sure the test consistently applied.
I agree prof,the smoke meters used are similar to what you describe,it gets metered through mirrors and light(I think that's right) and the results come up on the screen.When you carry out an emissions test you sit in car and purge system by revving vehicle to about 3000rpm to clean system,then watching the monitor you give it one good blast till it tells you stop(usually couple of seconds) then if it's lower than 1.25 that's a fast pass,all good.If over this you get up to six more blasts to get a mean reading of under 1.5.
My argument about all this is if I'm sat in car watching monitor prompting how do I know if the car is smoking and if so,why do we have a limit if you can't have any smoke?
Do I check your car is smoking as you park up,during test as idling,etc...who knows,all I know is you'd have to be constantly chucking black smoke out for me to fail a car.
My argument about all this is if I'm sat in car watching monitor prompting how do I know if the car is smoking and if so,why do we have a limit if you can't have any smoke?
Do I check your car is smoking as you park up,during test as idling,etc...who knows,all I know is you'd have to be constantly chucking black smoke out for me to fail a car.
- Oct 12, 2013
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Just been to ASDA and red x diesel injector cleaner fluid is down to £2 and the DPF liquid about £6
When i had to hve my D P F regenerated at a cost of £200.00 and by the way this is not covered by a Nissan warranty I started to look aoround at the various additives thar you can add to the fuel, the additives from the likes of Halfords etc although they do what they say only do what they are supposed to do at vehicles operating temperature short runs do not help, but I found an additive from Germany which I purchased of a well known auction site , it comes in two yellow cans and at the time cost me £16.00 and according to the reviews it starts to function at low engine tamperatures.
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I only put the additives in when we go away , when the tank is nyon filled and we have a good run ahead off us .
- Mar 14, 2005
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Yesterday I had the V11 reminder for my road fund tax, so I tried to pay for it on line, only to be told no current MOT was list for my vehicle!
Well strictly speaking it was incorrect becasue I do have a current MOT, only it expires before the due date for the tax. So I phoned my local garage to book an MOT, and they had a slot at 3.00pm.
When I got there I was asked "do you have anything dangling from the rear view mirror" I don't so I answered "no", but i was intrigued and asked the receptionist why. She told me "its now an instant fail and we ask customers just to avoid an unnecessary failure"
It passed with just a few advisories.
Well strictly speaking it was incorrect becasue I do have a current MOT, only it expires before the due date for the tax. So I phoned my local garage to book an MOT, and they had a slot at 3.00pm.
When I got there I was asked "do you have anything dangling from the rear view mirror" I don't so I answered "no", but i was intrigued and asked the receptionist why. She told me "its now an instant fail and we ask customers just to avoid an unnecessary failure"
It passed with just a few advisories.
Prog, I can remember last year my air freshener was removed from the rear view mirror , so we best check our dangley bits before our mot's.
Prof,
Have you located a comprehensive list of these latest changes anywhere? I've tried a few cursory searches without success. (I know I can just study the full manual from cover to cover).
Have you located a comprehensive list of these latest changes anywhere? I've tried a few cursory searches without success. (I know I can just study the full manual from cover to cover).
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Prof/all,anything in your windscreen obscuring the testers view of the road has always been a fail,But lately that changed and we are now allowed to tuck them on top of rear view mirror,we may not remove them.Same with child seats,we cannot check seat belts we can only advise that a child seat fitted,even if that seat belt holding that child seat in is cut,it's still an advise/minor fail.
If you have a sat nav,mobile phone holder or anything else "suckered" to screen please remove prior to test as it will fail,we could,but can't remove,cheers.
If you have a sat nav,mobile phone holder or anything else "suckered" to screen please remove prior to test as it will fail,we could,but can't remove,cheers.
- Mar 14, 2005
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Brasso530 said:
That's interesting, becasue I have a dash cam stuck to the top of the windscreen, just to the passenger side of the of the rear view mirror, Its virtually at the same height as the rear view mirror. , And the mirror prevents the driver from seeing most of the screen when driving.
This was not commented on. Should it have been?
Not necessarily,if it's tucked out of the swept area and doesn't obstruct the testers view,all good.
The testers view? Another example,let's say for argument sake it dangles down a little bit,tester A is 6ft6 when he sits in your seat it obstructs his view-fail.tester b is 5ft6 and doesn't affect his view-pass.
Personally I use a bit of common sense,if it's tucked up in a corner it's all good,if you've stuck it middle of screen below rear view mirror,I won't be so lenient.
It's all a bit subjective,if I think something affects MY view that's all that matters.
Hope this helps a bit for future,cheers.
The testers view? Another example,let's say for argument sake it dangles down a little bit,tester A is 6ft6 when he sits in your seat it obstructs his view-fail.tester b is 5ft6 and doesn't affect his view-pass.
Personally I use a bit of common sense,if it's tucked up in a corner it's all good,if you've stuck it middle of screen below rear view mirror,I won't be so lenient.
It's all a bit subjective,if I think something affects MY view that's all that matters.
Hope this helps a bit for future,cheers.
- Jul 15, 2008
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Brasso530.........should a trailer lighting socket be tested for correct operation of trailer road lights?
I thought this was introduced a few years back.
My towing vehicle never has this checked during it's MOT!
I thought this was introduced a few years back.
My towing vehicle never has this checked during it's MOT!
I too will be interested in Brasso530's reply, especially if anything has changed in the recent update.
My understanding to date has been that (bizarrely) 7N + 7S systems are not liable to test, but 13pin systems are!
AFAIK, they have never tested my 7N .... but then I know it does work. My 7S socket is just a dummy since I never run the fridge or charge the battery ....... and my reversing lights on the (2000) car haven't worked for years anyway
My understanding to date has been that (bizarrely) 7N + 7S systems are not liable to test, but 13pin systems are!
AFAIK, they have never tested my 7N .... but then I know it does work. My 7S socket is just a dummy since I never run the fridge or charge the battery ....... and my reversing lights on the (2000) car haven't worked for years anyway
You are top of the class vic,7pins are not testable,13 pin only and I think it's only on cars after 2013. The check is only for road lights,not charging etc...
Just checked a few points in manual,socket only testable if a tow ball fitted.Another one of my many examples,if your car fails for faulty towbar socket just remove towball,re test pass,refit towball at home please note I DO NOT CONDONE THIS CONDUCT,but it's just to highlight the testing procedures,as it's not a tow bar socket(by definition)if no towball fit.its just a socket.
P.s sorry for late reply,only just got in.
Just checked a few points in manual,socket only testable if a tow ball fitted.Another one of my many examples,if your car fails for faulty towbar socket just remove towball,re test pass,refit towball at home
please note I DO NOT CONDONE THIS CONDUCT,but it's just to highlight the testing procedures,as it's not a tow bar socket(by definition)if no towball fit.its just a socket.P.s sorry for late reply,only just got in.
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