MOT fail

[Ozbear]

So I took my car to mot the other day.. and everything was fine until he went to adjust the headlights with the knob to the right of the steering wheel. It didn’t work and apparently it’s a fail. But I got the car home and decided to have a look to see why it wasn’t working. I understand it’s a vacuum system with coolant in that pushes a rod back and forth adjusting the tilt of the headlights. However the actual system has been removed and there isn’t any mechanical rods that adjust the headlights. How on earth do I go about getting it through its retest if the system isn’t there? He said if the car is fitted with adjustable headlights then they have to work but technically it isn’t fitted with them just the knob is there.

Can anyone help.

Oscar

[Blanca]

I don't have one (1987) I would change the knob panel to none adjustable. And try a different MoT station.

[onthames]

Remove the knob and go to a different mot place.

[flybynite]

Yes if it there it has to work, How much of it has to be 'there' is up for discussion but if you remove the control and the headlights are adjusted properly manually then it should not be a problem. If you don't want to replace the under column cover, just blank the hole off and say it a cover from another car that had it.

They are sealed and impossible to repair but they are available new but seem to be a bit short for original RHD routing.

[martauto]

I think if you remove the adjusting knob then it wont have a system in place and to be honest , they were never any good in the first place.
You would struggle massively to find one in working order that was for sale.
Have you thought about asking the MOT station about what they would do if you removed the knob ?
I replaced mine with a manual choke , another good point for having a weber lol.

Mart.

[Ozbear]

Remove the knob and go to a different mot place.

But won’t it be on record online that it has failed for it?

[ah]

I must have been lucky then, as mine passed it’s MOT a week ago and mine doesn’t work either.

[martauto]

Remove the knob and go to a different mot place.

But won’t it be on record online that it has failed for it?

Yes but if it`s not there in the re-test then they cant test it?
My take on it but why not ask them ?

Mart.

[Cloggy Saint]

I've been in the same boat. Just remove the knob and take it back for a re-test, it'll pass.

[onthames]

Remove the knob and go to a different mot place.

But won’t it be on record online that it has failed for it?

You could put a sticky label on the knob that says something like "Sport mode"
Then you have changed its purpose.

[martauto]

Remove the knob and go to a different mot place.

But won’t it be on record online that it has failed for it?

You could put a sticky label on the knob that says something like "Sport mode"
Then you have changed its purpose.

Joking on one side, would that actually work ?

Mart.

[Cloggy Saint]

Joking aside, would that actually work ?

Mart.

Highly unlikely.

[martauto]

He said if the car is fitted with adjustable headlights then they have to work but technically it isn’t fitted with them just the knob is there.
Oscar

All they have looked at is the knob inside so thats all they should look at for the re- test too.
Quote him on that mate

Mart.

[martauto]

Joking aside, would that actually work ?

Mart.

Highly unlikely.

Is this down to the testers interpretation ??
Just very curious.

Mart.

[Cloggy Saint]

I think it's more down to whether the tester has a functioning brain or not.

[Ozbear]

He said if I didn’t have the knob there he wouldn’t have tested it.
But then he failed it on it and said to “get if fixed” and come back. Not remove and come back.
I think I’ll ring him and say it was never actually fitted and take the knob off and take it back but depends if he is feeling funny or not

[onthames]

He said if I didn’t have the knob there he wouldn’t have tested it.
But then he failed it on it and said to “get if fixed” and come back. Not remove and come back.
I think I’ll ring him and say it was never actually fitted and take the knob off and take it back but depends if he is feeling funny or not

Personally I'd go somewhere else. If they bring it up you need tell them that the car had its dash replaced and that the new dash came with that knob but you don't actually have the system in the car.

[martauto]

He said if I didn’t have the knob there he wouldn’t have tested it.
But then he failed it on it and said to “get if fixed” and come back. Not remove and come back.
I think I’ll ring him and say it was never actually fitted and take the knob off and take it back but depends if he is feeling funny or not

I would not use them ever again !!
This is sooooooo petty “get if fixed” is an answer from some one who has had no "training" in his trade and can NOT use his own mind !!
This type of thing really gets up my back
Sorry but this hurts me being a toolmaker and the years you have to do before you are taken serious !!!
Bin the idiot please .


Mart.

Sorry but "Skilled they are not !! "

[Cloggy Saint]

I would not use them ever again !!
This is sooooooo petty “get if fixed” is an answer from some one who has had no "training" in his trade and can NOT use his own mind !!
This type of thing really gets up my back
Sorry but this hurts me being a tool and the years you have to do before you are taken serious !!!
Bin the idiot please .


Mart.

Sorry but "Skilled they are not !! "

What are you on about?! Don't blame the tester, he has guidelines to follow and one of those is that if a headlight leveling system is present then it has to work. Would it also be petty if a tyre's tread was 1mm below legal limit and it failed on that?

[Ozbear]

I've been in the same boat. Just remove the knob and take it back for a re-test, it'll pass.

so this works then?

[twenty]

I’m glad that I bought a knee panel without the adjuster switch cutout and tucked the switch underneath the panel. Heck I’m planning to rip out the tubes etc. out too cause it never worked in the first place anyway.

[Cloggy Saint]

I've been in the same boat. Just remove the knob and take it back for a re-test, it'll pass.

so this works then?

Yes, at least it did for me. If there's no knob then there's nothing to test.

[paultv]

I stripped mine out and replaced the panel so there's nowt there.

Paul

[fixedwheelnut]

Looks like it has changed, it used to be an advisory so long as the headlamp aim was OK but is listed as a major fail now.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspect ... tion-4-1-1
Remove the knob and go back

[Blanca]

Depends on the tester mostly, The rules are a bit of a grey area with lights at times. For instance, If you have a pair of fog lights fitted they must work but if you have fog light switches but no lights do you have to fit the lights, I don't think so as many cars have switches or functions that are not connected on the basic models.

[billyfrost]

Looks like it has changed, it used to be an advisory so long as the headlamp aim was OK but is listed as a major fail now.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspect ... tion-4-1-1
Remove the knob and go back

Personal views aside, the bottom line is if it's on the car the MOT tester will test it.

[billyfrost]

Should add, I've had this on several previous cars, my favourite workaround was to just manually adjust them (get them free first) and then use a different under dash panel from an earlier, non-headlight adjuster version, as per Paul above.

[rix313]

This is why I always take my cars to a ‘classic friendly’ station rather than any old jobsworth run of the mill place for your grand fiesta.

I do remember not long ago someone was making a kit which replaced all the components and made it all function again.

[jmec]

I asked my MOT tester, many years ago admittedly, about the system and it not working prior to the MOT. He wasn't bothered saying that as long as the headlights could be adjusted, which they can from the front of the lights, he was happy. He used to have an e30 so was well aware of the problem.