Advice after failed MOT

Aytonmuppet

I am looking for some advice from anyone who has experience with the MOT process.
In February 2018 I took my Vauxhall Zafira Tourer into my local Vauxhall dealer for an annual service. I was informed by the garage that the front brake pads needed replaced so I duly agreed to have the work carried out.
In May 2018 I took my vehicle to the same dealership for the MOT.
I was telephoned by the service manager who informed me that the car had failed the MOT as the brake pads were dangerously worn.
I was shocked by this and informed him that they had replaced the pads just three months previously. He stated that there must be something wrong and said he would look into it.
A short time later the service manager called me back and stated that the person carrying out the MOT had attached the wrong report.
I was a bit sceptical at this but gave him the benefit of the doubt.
When I picked up the car I was handed the paperwork by the receptionist. As I looked through the paperwork I noticed the MOT Pass certificate at the front but behind this was the Fail document bearing my registration number and stating that the brake pads were dangerously low.
I asked to see the service manager and I showed him the Fail document. He stated that it shouldn't be on there and ripped the form off and took it away.
I gave it no more thought until a couple of days ago when I logged into the government MOT database to see when my MOT is due.
I was horrified to see that the MOT fail for dangerously worn brake pads is on there from 2018.
This leads me to two conclusions.
Either the brake pads had not been replaced in the February, which I paid for and still have the receipt for, or the garage thought that they would try and charge me for new brake pads which I clearly didn't need. If there had been a mistake made , which the service manager alleged , then why was it put through as a fail on the government database?

Perhaps my real question should be "How likely is it for an MOT tester to mix up a vehicles MOT report?" Surely he works with some sort of form where he would record a vehicle's condition before passing or failing a vehicle. I still fail to see how that could be mixed up. That would suggest that the vehicle with the dangerously worn brake pads that my vehicle was allegedly mixed up with could potentially have been issued a Pass certificate.

DUTR

When the pads were replaced the front ones should be evident compared to the ones that were on previously.

baza52

or it could have been a mistake as the garage suggested and the database had already been updated before they realised the error.

MX5huggy

Once they produce a certificate (pass or fail) it can’t be amended. Only a new one issued. Also the certificate is just a copy on the online information not a legal document anymore.

Did you actually check the pads your self at any point or even today?

mluton

They realised there error back in Feb not carrying out the work and did the work at your MOT. Just wasn't honest about it.

arcon5

Up selling more like... parts not even needed. Sounds more like they tried to have your pants down and they failed

chrisw

At least you're now sorted. Don't use that garage again.

Aytonmuppet

Thanks for all the replies to my post. I am still annoyed that the Fail is still showing on my MOT history when it shouldn't have failed for the brake pads.
Reluctant to use that dealership again. They have lost my trust.

AdrianC

Aytonmuppet wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies to my post. I am still annoyed that the Fail is still showing on my MOT history when it shouldn't have failed for the brake pads.

As has been said up there, that's outside their control.

The test is logged onto the centralised MOT computer system as soon as it's completed. That's when the fail certificate that you were handed was generated... It was on there before you noticed and raised the issue. They then put it through the system again as a retest, and you were handed the pass.

Once the test is on the computer system, it's on the computer system. Minor amendments can be made to the mileage for a certain period, but that's about it. It certainly can't be removed completely. Not that it makes any difference to anything anyway - nobody's going to refuse to buy the car in the future, or pay less, because of a historic fail on pads.

Reluctant to use that dealership again. They have lost my trust.

Umm, didn't they do that two years ago...? The issue isn't the MOT test record. It's that they tried to take the mickey on the pads.

dave23

I don't think you should worry about the Fail on MOT history. My car failed it's first MOT on the "wrong colour of indicator bulbs fitted" despite them being the factory fitted originals. They were changed and a pass issued but the fail is still on the records

nick74

An incorrect MOT fail would annoy me if it was for something like excessive corrosion to the structure as that may raise awkward questions when I came to sell the car. However no one in the future is really going to care if a car did or didn't need new brake pads in 2018.