MOT failure is partially incorrect

Starside

Hi,

I have a 17 yr old Ford Focus which went in for its M.O.T. today, and failed on some items. It’s a local independent garage that I have been using for over 10yrs. Some of the fail items require repair works, which I cannot do, and I am fine with that.

However, I had a failure for ‘Headlamp incorrect colour’. When I enquired about this, I was told they are yellow, and headlights should be white. Hmm, that’s not what the MOT handbook states.

So, do I challenge the garage where I have been a customer for over 10 years? It’s just a pain to buy new headlight bulbs when I dont need to. Can an MOT refusal cert be amended, or do I need to convince the tester to mark it as rectified during the re-test?

Thanks.

Robisere

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/5/made

White or yellow, according to The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations.
The tester is incorrect. Whether you challenge him or not on this point, depends upon your relationship with the garage and how you think it may be affected.
Are you sure that the yellow colour is caused by yellow bulbs, or is it the actual lamp cover (Plastic or glass) that is yellow? In France until a few years ago, for example, headlamps were all yellow.
It may also be that the headlamp covers are so scratched and damaged by time and road miles, that they obscure the light and give a yellow cast, or at least dim the lights. How has the tester described the fail item?

A 17 year old Focus, bought in Britain, would not have been built and sold with yellow headlamps. Have you or a previous owner used it abroad?

Starside

Thanks. I replaced the bulbs in August 2017, I have never been abroad in the car. The bulbs are all weather bulbs from Halfords. The light they omit is more yellow than white, but that’s how they came in the box. The headlights themselves are not damaged or scratched in any way.

From what Iv’e seen, the tester is wrong. I think I will ring the garage tomorrow and politely ask them to re-check the rules. Part of me thinks it would be easier to buy some new bulbs and do the typically British thing of not complaining.

twhitehousescat

why fit a stupid aftermarket bulb , "all weather?" , so did ford only specify dry warm days then they specified bulbs at development stage

change back to STANDARD bulbs

Starside

I didn’t think they were stupid aftermarket bulbs. One bulb failed18months ago, so I popped into Halfords, saw these bulbs branded as ‘all weather’ purchased and fitted them.

From googling, ‘all weather’ bulbs have a yellow tint as it’s something to do with less reflection off snow and fog.

The crazy thing is, the same MOT tester passed these bulbs last year.

Robisere

I see that the same tester passed the bulbs at last year's test. If you do phone the garage, be sure to tell them that, and also tell them that the applicable law has not changed.

Congratulations on keeping a 17 year old focus alive! I have had 3 of these and over the years they have got worse IMO. My first was a 1600 cc 51 plate, basic LX and I loved it. The last was a Titanium X which had several problems, including a burnt out rear wiper, due to the cables being incorrectly routed over a welded flange, causing a short circuit. The original 51 Focus is still driving around, having been bought locally.

AdrianC

I wonder... What are the lenses on the lights like? Have they developed that yellowish opacity that older polycarb lights often get? That could be tinting the light output to the point that he's flagging it.

It's not the lens itself, it's the UV coating on it. It can be removed with inexpensive products - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00FJVZZVY and various similar. It'll massively improve the light output, too.


That apart, yes, he was wrong to fail it for being the wrong colour - so long as both lights are "substantially the same colour and intensity". If one is more yellowed, or just one has one of those over-hyped tinted bulbs, and the lights are visibly different colour, then he was right to fail it.
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-4-Lamps-reflectors-and-electrical-equipment.html#section_4.1

You can appeal the fail within 14 working days so long as nobody's worked on the car since.
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/problems-with-your-test-result

Starside

I think i will just get new bulbs. My headlight lenses are fine. The bulbs are similar to these: Bosch Halogen Bulbs 12V H4 55W/60W All Weather Plus.

https://sg.bosch-automotive.com/hi/internet/saz_sg_ap_lr/products/details/-/info/1987304030/Bosch-Halogen-Bulbs-12V-H4-55W-60W-All-Weather-Plus

Even states:

Product Features and Benefits
Yellow-coated bulb for yellow color light output.
Comfortable to eyes and good vision especially in fog, haze and rough weather environment.
For safety-conscious professionals
Homologated to ECE standards.
Available in H1, H3, H4 and H7



They are supposed to be yellow-ish. I am not going to appeal, as formally its to difficult, especially when other repairs on the car are needed.

The car itself is great. 2001 focus, starts first time (touch wood) and good body work etc. I am going to get another year out of it!

molerat

I remember when those bulbs first came out and people were getting pulled by mr plod bringing us loads of customer complaints. Eventually we managed to get the traffic sgt in for a chat and show him all the specs for the bulb and the fact they were legal.

Carrot007

It's crazy people think like that. Yellow(ish) is the optimal colout for headlights.


What is annoying it the harsh blue tint that just dazzles. They should be made illegal (recent tests have preved they are bad). However I guess a lot of people already with them will be upset.


While we are at it can the LED's in streetlamps please be made to look like the old orange/yellow lamps. These white (in various ish's) ones are just aannoying light pollution and quite frankly make things worse.

AdrianC

Carrot007 wrote: »

It's crazy people think like that. Yellow(ish) is the optimal colout for headlights.

Not really.

The light is naturally white. A filter of any colour cuts light output. The yellowish tint can reduce glare in some exceptional weather conditions.

Anything else is just marketing and upselling.