What's an illegal ECU chip? That's the only one that could potentially affect me...

what a load of balls..

next you know it will be illegal to fart in your own car.. as its not an OEM smell!

Ah, courtesy of our friends over on SCN:

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showpost.php?p=3224733&postcount=115

Threads merged.

I suggest that before people get too excited they actually check what is actually happening. Most of the items are simple and nothing to be worried about. The item about ECU's is covered in the link at post #20 here, and I quote:

"Other items – such as headlamp bulb and unit incompatibility, headlamp levelling devices and illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need further thought before we can get a workable solution for MOT stations."

That is from the VOSA newsletter. However my local MOT station has said that cars with HID's but NO washers or levelling will be failed, because the contravene the C & U Regs.

Edited 18 November, 201015 yr by Llanigraham

Idle is the first test, the second test is done at 2.5krpm or 1/2 engine speed:

"c. rapidly increase the engine speed to around 2500rpm or half maximum . engine speed if this is lower and assess the smoke emitted from the tailpipe. Allow the engine to return to idle."

And reasons for rejection:

"c. emits excessive dense blue or clearly visible black smoke during acceleration which would obscure the view of other road users."

I can think of several diesels which might fail that test

Chris

When mine went for its mot it only had one test, the second one only happens IF the first one is at idle above a certain level as far as i`m aware.

Matt

You might find they only care about headlight washers if the car has lighting that requires them (eg HID)

As for testing the levelling, bring it on, so many cars where the lights are out, this can't hurt.

but are headlight leveling systems & washer a global requirement for HID headlights, what happens to a bone stock import with factory HIDs?

as for the remap issue, are these changes not meant to bring MOT style tests in line across europe? don't remaps have to be TUV approved in Germany?

Andy, read my reply at #30, above.

It all sounds like a right load of tripe to me, MOT's are mostly based on the testers discrection anyway as to eg how worn bushs etc are,

For them to start plugging every car into a tester to check its been chipped or not is a right load of crap, i work at a dealer and it doesn't even flag up on ours systems most of the time if a cars been chipped or not so a mot testers going to have to have a right bit of kit to be able to test every car,

The HiD bit i do agree with to a certain extent, never had a problem with them in my volvos i had before but in octy they do give alot of glare hence why i took them out

It would cost ALOT of money for Vosa to equip garages with the equipment to check for a remapped vehicle, so its unlikely that this will happen.

Diesel Tuning boxes will be a fail though.

It would cost ALOT of money for Vosa to equip garages with the equipment to check for a remapped vehicle, so its unlikely that this will happen.

Diesel Tuning boxes will be a fail though.

But VOSA don't supply the testing equipment, that is paid for by the garage/test station.

But VOSA don't supply the testing equipment, that is paid for by the garage/test station.

Then a lot of garages are going to either stop doing MOT's or are going to charge top money for one. Talking with a friend of mine who is an MOT tester and he can understand of tuning boxes become an MOT failure but detecting remaps is going to cause a lot of complication and expense.

...not to mention the potential risk of bricking someone's ECU when you attach the diagnostics to it, as mentioned in the linked thread!

I have just fitted HIDs, and my Mechanic (also my MOTer) is realigning them as I write, so I'm not to concerned, and if it does become a problem I will swap over to the halogens for the test, then put the HIDs back in when it comes back.

But you didn't hear that from me! ok?

ITS ALL B*****S! With regards the Remaps

I know a VOSA inspector (not an MOT Tester) he works for VOSA! and he said this has noting to do with the safty or emmitions of the car and he even agrees they are benificial to most cars nowadays as you get lower Co2's and better MPG with the added bonus of more power.

Also as a part of the MOT they would need to plug in and they are not allowed to disturb the car in any way.... ie plugging a tester in to check the ECU for the map (risk changing the ECU settings) which is altering the car, they would have to also pay out for none interfering ecu readers!

Not happening!

Well they have to justify their multi billion pound budget somehow... I trhink the re-map business is going to cause a lot of headaches if true. Does that mean all re-mapped cars are MOT failures and will this mean all the mappers going to the wall.?? Hopefully not, I'm not sure what illegal modification mean to be honest. Hopefully there will be more clarity when this is drafted into English law. Here is the full text for anyone who is interested.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/Notice.do?val=519314:cs〈=en&list=519314:cs,&pos=1&page=1&nbl=1&pgs=10&hwords=2010/48~&checktexte=checkbox&visu=#texte

Edited 14 January, 201115 yr by Matt Bodycombe