MOT testing categories

sjaypink

Hi

Wondering if anyone one knows;

A. Where to find a full list of the MOT criteria - e.g 1.1.6 , 3.1.7.A - you can see specific categories listed when you fail an MOT- but I would like the whole list- any ideas?

B. Whether school transport minibuses/ taxis have the same MOT criteria as a standard car?

Reason being I have bought an ex school contract vehicle (8 seats), and have just checked through its MOT history on VOSA website. It has had an absolute shed load of problems at each inspection, but most of the criteria I have never heard of before....

...so hoping that it has been put through particularly strict tests due to it being school transport? :A If its just a standard IV test you put any car through then I think I will prepare myself for scrapping it come MOT test time! :eek:

KeithP

How about googling something like MOT testing rules?

Let me help.

The first item returned looks good.

sjaypink

KeithP wrote: »

How about googling something like MOT testing rules?

Let me help.

The first item returned looks good.

Theres something about users of that LMGTFY that suggests to me a personality problem. Sorry.

And no, the first result was not relevant

The MOT Scheme
The MOT scheme is primarily a road safety measure designed to ensure as far as possible that all cars, motorcycles and light goods vehicles more than 3 years old
• are properly maintained and; • at least once a year are examined at an authorised MOT test station to make sure that they comply with certain important requirements of the law

Remember-
the test certificate relates only to the condition of the testable items at the time of the test and should not be regarded as evidence of their condition at any other time; nor should it be accepted as evidence of the general mechanical condition of the vehicle.


Women in the driving seat
No longer content with sitting in the passenger seat, map in hand and checking their looks in the wing mirror, the modern woman prefers to see herself as one of those Thelma and Louise style Peugeot chicks on the road to nowhere or the wild woman who throws her man's belongings out the window for having the cheek to drive her beloved Fiat Punto. Either that or they believe that "size matters" like Renault with their nifty Clio.
Well the facts speak for themselves ladies. With women forking out 12 billion pounds in the motor market each year, women now buy 50 per cent of all new and used cars. And it seems our numbers on the road can only increase.
At the moment there are five women learning to drive for every three men and, already, one major city, Edinburgh, has got into gear with its female only driving school, the Ladies School of Motoring. So the next time your bloke sniggers at stories of women taking half an hour to get into a car parking space you could fit a bus in, just tell him that "size matters".
Okay.

Random.

Having spent ages sifting through similar [EMAIL="!!!!"]cr*p[/EMAIL] earlier I thought it might be easier to ask others who may already know. Those that don't mind sparing a few minutes of their time that is. Those that do, needn't have replied. Or even read the post. Pretty simple really

Try not to get too depressed thinking of what better ways you could have spent that 40 secs of your life

KeithP

Good luck with your quest.

I hope you find someone brave enough to risk your abuse.

:beer:

sjaypink

Abuse? Never before have I been accused of that!

Pls be nice to all MoneySavers. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and even if you disagree courtesy helps.

^ I reckon that covers both needless sarcasm and 'abuse' then Keith. Looks like we could both learn something from this thread? :A

For someone that already knows, it was a pretty simple question I think. I would be most grateful if any one such person- perhaps MOT tester, or school contract driver who may come across this thread might answer. Or maybe just someone with a greater knowledge or patience with the VOSA site navigation than me. If not, no worries :cool: :T

goldspanners

genrally speaking yes they are more strict on taxis but this can all come down to the local authority testing the vehicle and thier standards i think.
my local authority can fail taxis for having no or miss matched wheel trims. some owners would get round this by buying a new set from halfords taking it for the test and putting the wheel trims on outside test centre and then take them off after test and return them to halfords.:rotfl:

sjaypink

vaio wrote: »

It is there in the link Keith gave, you do have to burrow down a bit though

I am genuinely sorry if I came across as a b!tch but I had spent an hour trying to search the net for a simple clarification but if you search 'MOT testing catagories' 'MOT test criteria' 'MOT testing for school contract vehicles' all you tend to get is the different fee catagories, links to local authorities FAQs saying private hire vehicles need to be MOT'd every 6 months etc

And I could not find any reference to the full (1.1.1, 1.1.2. 1.1.3 etc etc) inspection list anywhere

Sometimes google is not your friend it is just full of incredibly frustrating nonsense! :rotfl:

goldspanners wrote: »

genrally speaking yes they are more strict on taxis but this can all come down to the local authority testing the vehicle and thier standards i think.
my local authority can fail taxis for having no or miss matched wheel trims. some owners would get round this by buying a new set from halfords taking it for the test and putting the wheel trims on outside test centre and then take them off after test and return them to halfords.:rotfl:

Well, this is what I was hoping for. I have logged off VOSA now, but IIRC last years fails and advisories were a list as long as your arm such as 'drivers seat worn' . Not all as trivial as that, but plently which I had never come across before whilst MOTing my own cars.

These MOTs were done by serco, so I suppose (fingers crossed) they use harsher testing criteria than your regular MOT testing garage

goldspanners

vaio wrote: »

I’m sure the rules are the same across all testing stations

im not so sure. some local authorities require the vehicles to be a specific colour. so a black vehicle might pass in one area where they require a black vehicle but would fail elsewhere when they specify a white vehicle.

KeithP

Ok, let me try again...

Googling MOT Testers Manual will bring up this site.
(Pretty similar to the one I hinted at earlier, but easier to read.)

Using the the manual we can determine what the examples in your original post, 1.1.6 , 3.1.7.A, mean.

Section 1 is to do with lights.
Sub-Section 1.1. is to do with Front and Rear Position Lamps, Registration Plate Lamps Rear Fog Lamps.
Sub-Section 1.1.6 concerns Rear Fog Lamps.
The rejection codes for this section are...

6. A mandatory rear fog lamp
a. is missing, does not emit a steady red light or emits a light other than red
b. incomplete, not in good working order or not visible from a reasonable distance
c. is insecure, obscured or not facing to
the rear
d. flickers when tapped lightly by hand
e. tell-tale does not work
f. adversely affected by the operation of
any other lamp.

Moving on to code 3.1.7.A.
Section 3 is headed Brakes
Sub-Section 3.1 is about Parking Brake Lever Mechanism and Associated Mountings.
The test at Sub-Section 3.1.7 is described as...

Check the vehicle structure around the mounting of the parking brake and associated mountings for fractures, cracks, corrosion and distortion.

A failure of this test will be due to...

Deliberate modification which significantly reduces the original strength, excessive corrosion, severe distortion, a fracture or an inadequate repair of a load bearing member or its supporting structure or supporting panelling within 30cm of the parking brake mechanism or any associated mounting(s), that is, within a 'prescribed area', see Appendix C.

I am sure you will be able to look up others in a similar fashion.

vaio

goldspanners wrote: »

im not so sure. some local authorities require the vehicles to be a specific colour. so a black vehicle might pass in one area where they require a black vehicle but would fail elsewhere when they specify a white vehicle.

yep, but that's not an MOT test