Does passenger seat need to be fitted for MOT?

vaio

does this mean you need a new MOT every time you change the seating arrangement in your people carrier?

Same if you add an after-market seat?

Where on the MOT is the number of seats recorded?

anewman

vaio wrote: »

From the manual......

2. The security of the drivers or front passenger's seat is significantly reduced.
3. A seat back that cannot be secured in the upright position.

And if you remove the seat, then there is no seat to be secured - or even a seat to check. If those are the only things they can fail it on they can't exactly say the seat is insecure when there is no seat.

Rolandtheroadie

vaio wrote: »

From the manual......

2. The security of the drivers or front passenger's seat is significantly reduced.
3. A seat back that cannot be secured in the upright position.

I'd go with it doesnt need to be there then. That and Sassy says it does so I think that proves it.
What about logbook and insurance if it really came down to it then. On second thoughts, lets not.

HannahIOW

vaio wrote: »

does this mean you need a new MOT every time you change the seating arrangement in your people carrier?

No, if you test the car with the number of seats it came with, then all seats are tested and all seats are safe. Removing a seat after that doesn't make it unsafe, nor when you put it back in.

Quentin

HannahIOW wrote: »

No, if you test the car with the number of seats it came with, then all seats are tested and all seats are safe. Removing a seat after that doesn't make it unsafe, nor when you put it back in.

This latest bulletin from your OH, (the one who really knows the ins and outs of MOTing?) certainly helps along with his other helpful contribution:

HannahIOW wrote: »

Just asked my OH (an mot tester), he says it's a bit of a grey area but...

If for example you remove all but the drivers seat you can take the car for mot and it will be tested as a one seater. If you then reinstall the rest of the seats after passing mot, it makes the mot null and void.

(How is the nullying and voiding carried out - could he be persuaded to whisper it to you before bed time?)

vaio

vaio wrote: »

does this mean you need a new MOT every time you change the seating arrangement in your people carrier?

Where on the MOT is the number of seats recorded?

HannahIOW wrote: »

No, if you test the car with the number of seats it came with, then all seats are tested and all seats are safe. Removing a seat after that doesn't make it unsafe, nor when you put it back in.

and so if you get your 7 seater tested with only 5 seats present then your MOT becomes "null & void" if you put the seats back in?

Again, how does the null and voiding happen? and where is the number of seats recorded on the MOT?

HannahIOW

Quentin wrote: »

This latest bulletin from your OH, (the one who really knows the ins and outs of MOTing?)

No need to be rude. I didn't ask him that it's just common sense

vaio wrote: »

and so if you get your 7 seater tested with only 5 seats present then your MOT becomes "null & void" if you put the seats back in?

Yes.

vaio wrote: »

Again, how does the null and voiding happen? and where is the number of seats recorded on the MOT?

Number of seats is recorded in the V5/logbook, and therefore on the DVLA database. It only takes one bored policeman to pull you over for a headlight bulb not working...they can pull all details up and they can deem you to be driving a car with an invalid MOT.

It sounds daft, but it's the way it is.

vaio

You’re right it does sound daft

Whilst I don’t doubt that the number of seats is on record at the DVLC my question was where is it recorded how many seats were present when the car was MOT’d

Certainly not on any MOT I’ve ever seen,

Any news yet on how an MOT is rendered “null & void”?

HannahIOW

When the MOT tester logs onto the system one of the first things asked on the computer is how many seats are in the car, therefore it is logged on the mot database.

Number of seats etc is not present on an Mot document you're right - it's a certificate and doesn't need to detail ins and outs of the mot.

As stated in previous post the police would be the ones to render it null and void. Of course you could drive around having added your seats back in, but there's always a risk of getting pulled over.

vaio

I can’t think of a better way of putting it but you are completely wrong.

The computer system doesn’t ask for any details that aren’t recorded on the certificate/advisory page and there is absolutely no mechanism for the police or anyone else to cancel an MOT once it has been issued.