MOT - Headlamp Alignment - Warning!

ozvaldinho

I have to say, my ultra reliable and trustworthy garage failed my van on headlight beam recently. It was absolutely spot-on when I took it in, and too high when it came back. It was tested, failed and and then passed the retest. No charge for the adjustment, and no mention of the fail. It does make me wonder if it's to do with quotas, it's very rare that any vehicle I submit fails its MOT as I maintain them very thoroughly.
I'll discretely ask the tester next time I'm in there.

Inactive

harveybobbles wrote: »

i'm just saying that most places will fail a car for something that it didnt fail on - just to make sure that they fail enough cars each month to keep VOSA happy.

Bulbs and light adjustment are the easiest things to fail something on. Even if they are fully functioning.

If the MOT p[lace passed every car then VOSA would be on their back. where as if they fail the odd one or two then it keeps them happy...

So I take my car for an MOT, stay with the vehicle, watch the MOT being carried out, as I do, how on earth is the MOT Tester going to tell me a lamp isn't working .. when it obviously is.


Utter botox.. :rolleyes:

Surely there is a balance of normal fails to even things out naturally.

roddydogs

1.check all you bulbs before the MOT
2. ive never known a garage charge for Headlamp adjustment......Quote "Its the only thing their allowed to do", otherwise its a fail. If Your not sure of the garage, ask beforehand. Simples.

cyclonebri1

datostar wrote: »

There's a recent thread on Honest John's website about an increasing number of cars failing the MOT on headlamp alignment (usually too low). Seems the MOT discounters are charging £11 or so to adjust them, but some are adjusting free of charge. This just happened to me with my Renault Megane. Fail certificate issued (no other faults), but Kwikfit adjusted them at no charge (don't mind mentioning the name as they do seem to get a lot of flak!) then immediately issued a pass certificate. There's a view that this another speed bump problem to be added to damaged tyres and springs. It's perfectly logical that the constant shocks applied to vehicles by them will cause this and that they will shake downwards rather than upwards due to gravity. Worth bearing in mind for those with an MOT due. I'll certainly check mine before the next one - it's never ever happened before.

They didn't "adjust" them by letting the rear tyres down did they ? ;)

cyclonebri1

harveybobbles wrote: »

i'm just saying that most places will fail a car for something that it didnt fail on - just to make sure that they fail enough cars each month to keep VOSA happy.

Bulbs and light adjustment are the easiest things to fail something on. Even if they are fully functioning.

If the MOT p[lace passed every car then VOSA would be on their back. where as if they fail the odd one or two then it keeps them happy...

To be honest Harvey, I'm sure there are enough folks that take their cars in without checking a single thing, to keep the fail rate at normal without having to resort to foul tactics.

Many people rely on the mot test to keep their car in ok condition, not my opinion but they do:eek:

Gordon861

goldspanners wrote: »

yes but if one is out of line it will still need adjusting at the actual light unit, if you adjust the height of your beam then via the lighting controls you move both headlights.
i would rather both my headlights were adjusted properly and the adjuster switch was only used to adjust beam height according to vehcile weight as required. and also safe in the knowledge im not dazzling oncoming motorists with one headlight too high.

Which is why I included the "This will also only work on cars that haven't had any crashes to the front that have bent the headlight mountings, in which case look at the manual." bit at the end. It is very unlikely that one of the headlights will have gone out of alignment of the other without you being involved in some form of accident.

Headlights don't just go out of alignment on their own, in fact it's normally a problem to adjust them because the screws are often covered in a thick layer of dirt.

roddydogs

My car had one headlamp "Miles out" according to the tester, it was done free, speedhumps have a lot to answer for.

cyclonebri1

roddydogs wrote: »

My car had one headlamp "Miles out" according to the tester, it was done free, speedhumps have a lot to answer for.

But so do drivers that hit them at 40mph . Not aimed directly at you but we've all seen them.

Rallydriver

I slow right down to walking pace for every speed hump. No way I'm damaging my car for them.
You should see the que that can build up behind me down a road with 20 of them on a busy morning.

A friend of a friend has a policy of accidentally knocking his horn switch when he goes over a speen hump, to thank the residents for their consideration. Not something I'd do.

cyclonebri1

Rallydriver wrote: »

I slow right down to walking pace for every speed hump. No way I'm damaging my car for them.
You should see the que that can build up behind me down a road with 20 of them on a busy morning.

A friend of a friend has a policy of accidentally knocking his horn switch when he goes over a speen hump, to thank the residents for their consideration. Not something I'd do.

That was something that was suggested by Clarson or someone in the motoring press when they started multiplying a few years ago. Hit the horn and rev the engine to get the locals to complain.

The thing that gets me is how can it be legal to install the type that can only be driven at 15mph in a 30mph area? . I'd go for a lower speed limit at selected times of day given the choice.