MOT failure- Twisted brake hose

olbas_oil

I've just failed an MOT on my Peugeot 3008 for 2 reasons:

1. Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid [3.5 (a)] (quoted £49.99)
2. Brake hose excessively twisted Offside Front [1/1/12 (b)(ii)] (quoted (£70.63)

I drove home, and tested the washers. They both worked perfectly. I was then slightly suspicious that the garage (a well known national chain) was inventing problems. So I drove to the local garage that had last done the brakes. They said the hose was not twisted, and they would have passed it for MOT.
I drove back to the MOT garage. They conceded that the washers were not faulty. Two mechanics looked at the brake ( on ground, not on ramp) and said it was twisted. One took the first photo, the second photo shows the nearside for comparison.

Does this show, as they claim, a twisted brake hose? Should that be a MOT failure?




 The second garage had replaced both front pads and discs in 2021, and then did the 2021 MOT, without failing the brake hose.  The first garage did the 2022 MOT and did not pick up this issue. So it's been through two MOT's since the work was done.

If it really is an MOT failure, and no-one else has worked on the brakes since then, should I insist the second garage (brake fitters) re-fit the hose free of charge?

facade

Looks twisted to me, I'd take the calliper off and untwist it, probably when the new pads were fitted it got twisted.

Take it to the garage that did the brakes and tell them it has failed MOT on a twisted hose, and no-one has touched the brakes since them, and see what they say.

Be nice, and they may do it for considerably less than £70.63.

If it has been 2 years and it went through MOT in 2022, stamping your feet and insisting they fix it for nothing is likely to be met with a shrug and insistence that "someone has messed with it since, we would never leave it like that".

sevenhills

Those brake hoses are flexible, so that looks normal to me. Fluid is obviously getting through perfectly well, can they tell you if the brakes are out of balance?

Bigwheels1111

Such an easy fix.
20 minute job.
Loosen your wheel nuts.
Jack up car.
Take wheel off.
Large flat head screw driver, ratchet & socket, 13 mm I think on most cars.
Look at the brake pads from the front , you then take hold of the calliper and pull it from side to side to loosen it up.
If that fails use the screwdriver to force it a bit between the disc and pad.
Behind the calliper you will see 2 bolts with rubber near the end.
Undo them but do not pull them out all the way.
The calliper should now lift up and come off, untwist it and replace it.
Tighten the bolts again to spec, Flipping tight work for me.
Put wheel back on and do up the nuts.
Re tighten the nuts when on the floor.
£70 saved.

Don’t tell me, Kwikfit, national or Halfrauds.
50% off deal from groupon.

chrisw

It's definitely twisted. I would guess it was missed at the last MOT, and this time it's a question of the MOT tester's judgment whether it's a minor twist, hence a minor defect, or excessive twist resulting in a fail.

Either way, it's not right and needs untwisting.

tedted

thats a minor and a advisory not a failure

facade

tedted said:

thats a minor and a advisory not a failure

It depends on the tester's opinion whether it is a minor twist, or a major one. I can't really tell 100% from the photo, but there looks to be a bright mark where the hose has rubbed the dirt off the bottom of the strut. If the hose is twisted enough to contact a moving part I'd say it qualified as major.

TheAble

It's not exactly megabucks. I'd just have them fix it to get it through the MOT but I wouldn't be using them again.

The alternative is have it tested someplace else but then you'll have to stump up another MOT fee.

tedted

that hose is not twisted enough to be a failure for that they must be twisted round again

Grey_Critic

Lots of opinions but an MOT Tester has decided it is a fail. One thing you do need to remember is that the Ministry Inspectors do carry out spot checks so it is just possible they did in this case, The fact it has passed in the past does not enter into it - It is THIS MOT that is relevent. Could be it should have failed last time.

As some have said you could try another test centre - you could also appeal to the Ministry but probably a lot less hassle just to get it fixed.

olbas_oil

Many thanks for all the comments. I shall get it fixed, hopefully by the original garage for a nominal figure, and pay the re-test fee.

I remain suspicious of the MOT garage, especially since the other failure was for a windscreen washer that was working perfectly (first time I tried. with no attempt to clean it). No explanation was offered for this 'failure', because the conversation centered around the brake hose, but it would have been very easy for me to agree on the phone to their  fee of £49.99 to fix a non existent issue.

I shall be very cautious of cut-price MOT deals in future.