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Any MOT testers in the house?
Oh go on, what's it failed on? Sunglasses holder not functional? 🙂
^ Fake - sunglasses holders are not an MOT failure.
Brake lines? Sub frame?
Front sub frame I think is tubular alloy or something non-rusting, on mine anyway.
Depends on age - the W/S204 models from 2008'ish to 2013'ish were well known for sub frames corroding.
It’s a procedural question, not a pass/fail question.
Depends on age – the W/S204 models from 2008’ish to 2013’ish were well known for sub frames corroding.
Merc are replacing some FOC when they go in for airbag recall according to the FB groups
Merc are replacing some FOC when they go in for airbag recall according to the FB groups
i suspect only if you have a full main dealer service history though. Seem to remember a lot of fuss about rusting and FSH Mobilo warranty claims or something…
OP's is a 218. I know this thread isn't what he asked for but you know, this is STW 🙂
Worked in testing stations for years not got my ticket though what's the question
@marco I think is a tester..
Car failed MOT on damage to one front tyre. I replaced both and took the car back for retest. Should it have been put on the ramps and the tyres inspected to the same standard as the original MOT or is quick look in the car park acceptable if the tyres are obviously brand new? I don't know which scenario happened and I'm in dispute with the garage about a seperate issue which may be resolved depending on the answer to my question.
AIUI it's one of those grey areas - I think the tester just has to be satisfied that it's been done. I had a failure with a split boot on a rubber droplink. All they did was look to see it'd been changed which was obvious due to the shiny new part. But I'll defer to those who know.
I think the answer is they should satisfy themselves that the repair passes the test (i.e. put it on the ramps and check that the new tyres aren't also knackered part worns with half a bottle of back to black on them).
In reality I know they sometimes don't.
I don’t know which scenario happened and I’m in dispute with the garage about a seperate issue which may be resolved depending on the answer to my question.
Hob-nobs on standby, more details please.
Only the bit that failed should be retested. No requirement to put it on a ramp.
Remember the test is only an inspection of roadworthiness the day it's inspected at all times after it's nothing more than a record that it was road worthy on that day.
Is that so? Although the MOT is a snapshot I also thought that there is a general requirement to ensure a car is roadworthy at all times? Sounds like Tester no 2 spotted something awry on the revisit
Sounds like Tester no 2 spotted something awry on the revisit
Nope.
yeah I've had similar (droplinks and a tyre) - they didn't even bring the car into the garage just eyeballed both of them in the carpark and passed it through
It's sounds more like something failed between test 1 and just after the retest
also thought that there is a general requirement to ensure a car is roadworthy at all times?
Yes that is correct but has nothing to do with the MOT the MOT as I said is how the car is presented on that day. Not how it will hold up over the next 1/10/365 days...
Not how it will hold up over the next 1/10/365 days
I think that's what advisories are for.
I think that’s what advisories are for.
No they are for advising things that are observed and should be fixed but are not dangerous.
I mean.... *Engine obscured by an undertray* is an advisory.....
I've also had "child seat fitted in rear seat" as an advisory.
Meanwhile Ive also sent a car for an MOT without a working Speedo....
Go figure
You can pass an MOT one day but it can be unroadworthy the next and you can be fined/penalty points for it. But whether that is for an MOT re-tester to fail you is is a moot point.
Ignoring the stuff that you can/cannot be charged for on a partial retest (or is that the question??) and assuming the same testing station...
A simple tyre-only retest is a pragmatic car park job, but might entail a reduced fee depending on when it's done.
If it's something that can only be corrected by disturbing something else that's MoT-able and previously passed then both the failed item and the good item that's connected will be retested.
I say pragmatic because that's practical, quicker and more convenient for everyone concerned. You can effectively examine a front tyre (alone) there, whether it's correct to the letter of DVSA procedure is another matter and should be taken up with them
I thought they were supposed to do a full new test and can charge for it if the car has been taken somewhere else for work?
Maybe that changed with the new rules a couple of years ago.
I thought they were supposed to do a full new test and can charge for it if the car has been taken somewhere else for work?
It's complicated:
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests
And varies by tester/garage. They don't have to charge for a re-test even if allowed.
thanks, that’s answered my question.
I'd still like to know what the actual question was about.
And varies by tester/garage
..and whether it's a Mercedes?
I fitted a new drop link on my old car and tester came out on street and had a look underneath seen the new one and issued cert.
Things like tyres etc done in very quick time most places would inspect and pass with a foc retest.
Had it failed on multiple items and needed a proper inspection they'd put on the ramp abd charge a partial fee.
If it's been ages it'll be a full test.
What's your actual problem?
Like I said earlier, my question about MOT procedure has been answered.
If a car doesn't have to go on the ramp for a partial retest if it's not required then there's nothing more to add to this discussion.
Disclosing why I asked will not make any difference at all.
Disclosing why I asked will not make any difference at all.
You're such a tease.
I know, right.
Has the garage crashed your car into the ramp even though they didn't need to put it on the ramp to check the work done?
No.
My airbags srs warnings light is permanently displayed
Should this be an MOT fail or advisory?
Asking for a friend
I believe that's a fail.
My airbags srs warnings light is permanently displayed
Fail
If a car doesn’t have to go on the ramp for a partial retest if it’s not required then there’s nothing more to add to this discussion.
I imagine that's at the garage's discression. If you've put your decat exhaust/egr delete back on and they throw it on a ramp to check the tyres, and spot you've modified the car, they can still fail it. They don't have to put it on a ramp, but they may
It didn't fail the retest.
Yeah, and I guess their discression might be influenced if its one of those 20 quid MOT places that hope to benefit by repairing any faults found. 😁
If you’ve put your decat exhaust/egr delete back on and they throw it on a ramp to check the tyres, and spot you’ve modified the car, they can still fail it.
Who in their right mind would do that, knowing the car has to be retested?
Who in their right mind would do that, knowing the car has to be retested?
Someone who thought they'd only check the failed tyre in the car park?
Come on OP, you're teasing to the point of trolling now 😉 I'm like the thief in the opening reel of Dirty Harry. "I'se got ta know!"
If you're not going to explain what the actual problem with the garage is, then people are bound to speculate.
I bet they exchanged your Pine magic tree for one of those vile yellow Vanilla ones.
Stole his Britney Spears CD
He's a Tory cabinet member and left sensitive documents on the seat and now worried who's seen them.
My Guess: Car failed MoT on one tyre, you took it to Kwik Fit (other discount tyre fitters are available), they've damaged something unrelated (e.g. caught a brake pipe while jacking it up and crushed it). Garage saw new tyre and passed it. You're now miffed that they didn't spot the other damage and possibly following a failure want to pass on some liability?
Didn't really see any point in mentioning the car brand, is that relevant to question.
The thread title is a reference to the one I started 18 months ago that became 'one of those threads'; as it turned out the OP ended up buying the same model of Merc not long after me.
My car failed on 3 tyres with splits on the inner edges (Maxxis car tyres aren't as good as the pedal bike ones), went and got 4 fitted at another garage next day, came back and MOT tester handed me the certificate. We always take the cars in there. Failed this year on rear brakes and a front suspension knuckle. Had the rear brakes done with them, but the front knuckle was boarderline (some slight wear allowed on one model but not specified on mine). Only issue was part was on a back order, so MOT certificate was issued and car fixed some months later when part arrived.
@molgrips It is indeed.
The brand of car is only relevant if the answer to the original question was that the car should go on the ramp to be inspected. As that is not a requirement, the brand , model, colour, etc is immaterial.
I don't think this will be Thread Of The Week.
I reckon the ramp collapsed, causing OP's car to topple off and the boot to pop open.
Then his collection of vintage gentleman's magazines tumbled out and landed in an oily puddle - rendering it useless.
Are we getting warmer OP?
Naah - close the thread - OP is being an arse.
I hope they haven't damaged your lovely motor.
Somebody has...
You know the stupid bloody parking brake release? Well, it's now broken and I'm trying to establish the likelihood of who broke it; the MOT garage or the tyre fitters.
The MOT garage got all uppity about it when I had the temerity to ask if they did it and claimed their technicians always, without fail, apply the parking brake when they leave the vehicle so establishing if it went back on the ramp would show they knowingly passed a car with a defective parking brake mechanism. If the car didn't move the second time it went to them, I'm no further forward and will have to suck it up and repair it myself.
What's the issue with it?
They still have the foot pedal or is it all ****y and electrical now?
Foot pedal on, plastic release lever in dash.
The MOT garage got all uppity about it when I had the temerity to ask if they did it and claimed their technicians always, without fail, apply the parking brake when they leave the vehicle so establishing if it went back on the ramp would show they knowingly passed a car with a defective parking brake mechanism. If the car didn’t move the second time it went to them, I’m no further forward and will have to suck it up and repair it myself.
A parking brake test isn't done on a ramp - it's done on rollers in the floor.
Ooh - you mean the release handle on the right, or the mechanism itself? I was told that if you move it when the brake isn't absolutely fully released it damages the brake itself. Mind you, it bongs at you straight away so you'd have to really ignore that.
A parking brake test isn’t done on a ramp – it’s done on rollers in the floor.
No, but they would have noticed it was broken. Unless they already knew…
There was no mention of it when I collected the car after the retest meaning they either didn’t move the car or they purposely didn’t tell me. That’s why I wanted to know if putting the car on the ramp was a requirement.
It went to the tyre place then you drove it back to the MOT place? Could it have been the tyre place that broke it?
given its a fairly old car is it not reasonable that is just broke rather than "was broken"? something failing through wear and tear whilst with a garage isn't their fault.
also
was told that if you move it when the brake isn’t absolutely fully released it damages the brake itself.
part of the test will be moving the wheels whilst the parking brake is applied. If thats a common failure mode the damage may have occured during the test (but not noticed till later)
Reminds me of taking a customer's cars for their MOT's, how many variations on a handbrake can there be?
The other fun one was having to park it in the road, go inside and ask where reverse was (behind a very stiff sprung gate, you literally had to slap it over as hard as you could). Or the one with the worn gearbox bushings, so selecting gear was completely pot luck, thankfully it was a great big V8 so it didn't really care if you were setting off in 1st or third.
given its a fairly old car is it not reasonable that is just broke rather than “was broken”?
I would say not, but even it was, would it not be reasonably to inform the unfortunate owner accompanied by the immortal words “they all do that sir”?
part of the test will be moving the wheels whilst the parking brake is applied. If thats a common failure mode the damage may have occured during the test (but not noticed till later)
I think you have misunderstood the nature of the damage. It can only be caused by someone yanking on the lever.
It went to the tyre place then you drove it back to the MOT place? Could it have been the tyre place that broke it?
Yes, which is why I tried to establish the requirement of the ramp
The MOT place immediately blamed the tyre place in a most aggressive manner, I have no doubt the tyre place will do the same.
if you drove it back to the MOT place did you leave it without operating the lever? Otherwise you'd have noticed, no?
^^ was the parking brake on when you collected it from the tyre place??
I don't recall. I only use it if I am parked on a hill and it was over a week before I had cause to use the parking brake after the retest.
I don’t recall. I only use it if I am parked on a hill and it was over a week before I had cause to use the parking brake after the retest.
In which case, you Sir, are bolleauxed! I'll eat my pants if either party now admit liability. 🙁
I always use it out of habit but also because it can seize up.