Are these things MOT fails?

AdrianC

streetcat wrote: »

My question is though, I've noticed other people online who had that advisory were given percentages, e.g. 20% imbalance on driver side etc? Is that important to know, as it wasn't told any percentage, so no idea how bad the imbalance is?

The simple answer is "not quite bad enough to fail, but bad enough that you really ought to do something about it".

Fail is 30% imbalance or more. It's less than that. But it's high enough that the tester thought he should bring it to your attention.

Would knowing the precise percentage affect what you intend to do to rectify the imbalance...?

Joe_Horner

specialboy wrote: »

Permanently lit reverse lights would fail though as they are showing white light at the rear, although an untested item they shouldn't be lit all the time.

No, permanently lit reversing lights would be an offence but not an MOT fail.

You can only fail an MOT for the specific testable items that are detailed in the testing manual. The testing manual only applies to obligatory (ie: legally required) lights. #

These are listed in the Road Vehicle lighting Regulations 1989 (as amended) Schedule 1"Obligatory lamps, reflectors, rear markings and device":

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/1/made

As you'll see, reversing lights are not required under any part of that schedule - even though all cars have them now, they're actually optional as far as the law's concerned. Because they're not obligatory, they can't be a reason for an MOT fail because the MOT only tests legally required lights.

A number plate light, on the other hand, that's missing its shield and showing white light directly to the rear would be a fail under RFR 1.1.1(f) in the testing manual - "A rear registration plate lamp shows white light directly to the rear"