Booking Northern Ireland MOT advice thread

maverick17

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Recently had my car MOTed and, to my surprise, it failed. Mechanic mate of mine had done a bit of work on the car beforehand and said it should fly through. Is it worth just sticking it in for a retest at a different centre to see what happens? Are some test centres more 'lenient' than others? FYI it failed due to suspension arm and drive shaft.
 

Eager

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any retest will look at those parts specifically, if you turn up and there not right, it will fail. so, i would at least double check them areas, give them a clean if you cant find fault then try again
 

maverick17

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But what if I just book a new full test rather than a re-test? I hear some centres/testers are more lenient than others...
 

weeloaney

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Would it not just be easier to fix what the mot told is wrong?

What did it fail on?

But yes the mot tester has the ability to make nearly any car pass, that's if they want disciplined or worse.

Some of just decent and let tiny stupid things through that others would fail
 

Dervhead

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But what if I just book a new full test rather than a re-test? I hear some centres/testers are more lenient than others...

Surely there would be a record immediately visibly of the recent failure?

What I'm saying is, surely they have all the tricks people might use covered?
 

Andy044

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^^^^^^
I have had a car pass at one centre where it failed at another
To be fair it failed on several items and I was able to fix all but one, that being the speedo wasn't dual reading nothing critical

In your case I would be questioning your mates skills over that of the mot testers,
What did it fail on?
If it was something like suspension or brakes I'd be fixing it ASAP
 

NI_Volvo_Nut

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Recently had my car MOTed and, to my surprise, it failed. Mechanic mate of mine had done a bit of work on the car beforehand and said it should fly through. Is it worth just sticking it in for a retest at a different centre to see what happens? Are some test centres more 'lenient' than others? FYI it failed due to suspension arm and drive shaft.
Just fix the ******* thing
 

_Stu_

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Looking some advice here. My V40 had an issue with the CEM (module for headlamps) and one of its many previous owners have wired the headlamps so that the dipped beam is always on when the car is running.

The headlamp switch on the dashboard now does absolutely nothing. Is this a fail or is it going to be ok and classed like a car where the dipped beam is used as the DRLs?
 

NI_Volvo_Nut

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As long as the sidelights can be operated with the ignition off it will be fine

Some of the S/V40's had a small grub screw in the top right corner of the switch, this is to set how the lights behave when they are off, headlights, sidelights, off.
 
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stevieturbo

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In 25 years or so of motoring, I've never once had front sidelights checked. And years ago some cars used a dim/dip sidelight, where the main bulb was the sidelight albeit at a reduced voltage.
And yes some cars can be set so dipped beam comes on with ignition so cant see it being a problem
 

stevieturbo

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Legislation states side lights / parking lights must work independently of the ignition

Legislation also states cars here are supposed to have a cat post 92 etc etc etc etc...doesnt mean they get tested for it.

What is a road legal requirement and what gets tested at MOT are often quite different.
 

_Stu_

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So if I have my car switched off completely and turn the switch to the side lights/parking lights the dipped beam also comes on. It's a strange wiring job under the bonnet.

I might just risk it though as I have never had a tester switch the car off to check this during a test.
 

NI_Volvo_Nut

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Good chance it won't be picked up Can't imagine it would be too hard to sort if you wanted it right.

If you do, get a switch off ebay and give me a shout. Switches give bother on them, I would say the sidelight has been linked to the headlight because the headlight position is defective

@stevieturbo I'm not going through this again lol
 

conaghy

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Tyrone
Will a car automatically fail the emissions test for having a (petrol) decat manifold?

Is there a visual inspection for the presence of a cat or will it largely be upto the tester?
 

stevieturbo

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Will a car automatically fail the emissions test for having a (petrol) decat manifold?

Is there a visual inspection for the presence of a cat or will it largely be upto the tester?

That depends on the year etc of the vehicle.
 

conaghy

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Tyrone
That depends on the year etc of the vehicle.

2005. K20A2. It currently has a catless exhaust system, I just want to know if it could possibly get through as it is currently (without being noticed/some discretion by the tester) or if it would automatically fail an inspection/emissions test due to it missing a cat.

I've read some conflicting info online (some of which is from quite a while ago)...
 

stevieturbo

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There is no conflicting info. Here in NI there is a visual check only for a car of that age. And as with most of the test, of course this is at the discretion of the tester. Same way they could choose to ignore other aspects.

So of course it is possible to get through, it's also very possible it will fail.

But as per rules, it should fail.
 

conaghy

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Tyrone
There is no conflicting info. Here in NI there is a visual check only for a car of that age. And as with most of the test, of course this is at the discretion of the tester. Same way they could choose to ignore other aspects.

So of course it is possible to get through, it's also very possible it will fail.

But as per rules, it should fail.

I guess I meant that most info I could find online was older (2009-2011 etc) where I think there were some changes coming in, I couldn't find much discussion relating to petrol cars that is recent.

Thanks for the input. I may send it in and worst case scenario I have to change the manifold. It's not ready for the road so I'm in no panic.
 

rupertfinch

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Bangor
Failed the NI mot on Tuesday night (tester claimed a rear tyre had a deviation in its pattern, does that affect safety I added, no but...do you not feel it while you drive? Eh, no! Otherwise I'd have fookin' changed it). Thursday morning flies through a Scottish MOT (at a place that sells tyres - surely in their interest to find things wrong)?
Guess I just got a fussy chap?
 

Ge0rge

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Failed the NI mot on Tuesday night (tester claimed a rear tyre had a deviation in its pattern, does that affect safety I added, no but...do you not feel it while you drive? Eh, no! Otherwise I'd have fookin' changed it). Thursday morning flies through a Scottish MOT (at a place that sells tyres - surely in their interest to find things wrong)?
Guess I just got a fussy chap?

which test centre here?
 
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