Just been speaking to VOSA about 2012 MOT's

[gac]

I was speaking to a friend at an MOT testing station today, basically if the car had airbags from new then they must be fitted and the dashboard light must go through the self test and go out once the car is started

I realise that, but in my opinion the steering wheel airbag is the only one which can be deemed "obviously missing", at least on a Fabia Mk1. The passenger airbag is under the dash trim that testers aren't allowed to remove (as I understand it) and seat airbags weren't standard on all cars so if you removed those, you'd just fit a resistor kit and say you never had them. Are the test stations being provided with some way of knowing which cars had side airbags, curtain airbags, etc? Just curious is all, it won't affect me as the standard wheel will be put back on before the MOT and my passenger airbag is still present, but there are so many cars which may have airbags above those that are compulsory, ones which may have had extra airbags as options in better interiors, etc. Would it not eventually just come down to a visual check of the steering wheel and relying on the airbag warning light?

[devonutopia]

Weirdly I noticed the other day my C.E.L also doesn't come on and off with the car being started. I had to email my mapper as I wondered if it had been disabled, but apparently to his knowledge it hadn't, and I've not blanked it off like I did with the airbag light.... Hmmmm. So, no CEL light or airbag light when starting? I'm fooked!

[Kev Mab]

From now until April the new rules will be only marked as advisories but come April they will then be marked as a fail.

VOSA are giving this grace period to allow owners to sort it out by the time the next MOT comes around.

Read about it on the AA website

click here to read article

If your MOT is up over the next few months, I'd put it in before April to give you more time to sort your car out if your worried about the new rules.

[devonutopia]

"Earliest you can present your car for MOT is 15/03/12" - GET IN! I don't give a hoot about advisories (unless poignant to the car's well being)

I also noted no mention of engine light in this list....

"Warning lights

As well as electronic parking brake and electronic stability control warning lights (where fitted) the MOT test will also include checks for the correct function of the following, where fitted;

Headlight main beam warning light

Electronic power steering warning light

Brake fluid level warning light

Tyre pressure monitoring system warning light

Air bag warning light

Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light"

[gac]

Mine will be due in March actually, so that's a good result. I've heard much forum hearsay about it, but not seen it from a reputable source yet, so thanks for the link.

Although they don't mention the engine light, as Jason says, and it says point blank that a missing cat is a RfR. However, my argument will be that as a diesel car, my car doesn't undergo a full emissions test, and the visual check for a cat only applies to cars which have this test e.g. "On vehicles that qualify for a full cat emissions test, check the presence of the catalytic converter." but the full cat test is only listed under the tests for spark ignition cars, not compression ignition.

[devonutopia]

I thought the cat thing only affected cars from around June 2008 - which is why they brought in these regs @ 1st Jan 2012 as all those new cars from 2008 will now be coming through for their first MOT. Not seen that in writing yet though, but thought pre 2008 would be exempt from the cat visual check, and still only had the 3 metre/gram smoke test thing, rather than the 1.5 being applied to the newer models.

[gac]

That's possible, but I think a catalytic converter became compulsory in the mid-90s or something? So it should be safe to assume that any car built after the 90s should have a cat on it as original equipment...

[vindaloo]

That's possible, but I think a catalytic converter became compulsory in the mid-90s or something? So it should be safe to assume that any car built after the 90s should have a cat on it as original equipment...

...Only compulsory for Petrol cars. 1992ish and 1995 for imports ISTR...

For diesels, cats only really started appearing late 90s. I suppose Euro III emmisions had something to do with it...

J.

[ste372]

Missing airbags are an advise from the 1st January 2012.

After April 2012 they become a reason for failure.

Cats have to fitted on a car subject to a full cat test e.g. Petrols.......

Diesels are tested for smoke levels at present.

Make sure you get a fresh MOT in march then the aliasing airbag will only be an advise ;-)

[rogerki]

From now until April the new rules will be only marked as advisories but come April they will then be marked as a fail.

VOSA are giving this grace period to allow owners to sort it out by the time the next MOT comes around.

Read about it on the AA website

click here to read article

If your MOT is up over the next few months, I'd put it in before April to give you more time to sort your car out if your worried about the new rules.

This period has been extended to the summer - see the VOSA notice http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/Special%20Notice%203-12.pdf

[furby-le]

Ive just had my mot done on the fabia and can confirm that the period has been extended. The one rule i know is under discussion is the xenon headlights. Previous comments about needing the washer system and self levelling is correct but at the moment its not in force (suspended). The other main concern is the catalytic convertor. IF one was fitted originally a cat must be in place at the time of mot, or as my tester said 'visible'. SO, an "empty" cat could be installed

There are a lot of new rules coming in, including checking the instrument cluster illumination and even testing towbar electrics!

[gac]

One of the new rules, in the VOSA notice above your post, states clearly that "Clarification that the check for the presence of a catalytic converter only applies to petrol vehicles that qualify for a full catalyst emissions test regardless of the result of the Basic Emissions Test."

So, just as before, there's a lot of misinformation around, and a lot of misinformed testers. Also good news for Jason in that he can leave his airbag controllers out now, the startup sequence is to be removed from the test and only a fault indication will be a failure

[andypandypoos]

Any chance if you can verify the 3.3 ohm thing please? I will need to conjur something up.

The gutting thing for me is I sold my airbag control unit and all the other airbags/steering wheel. Even if I wire up so the car "sees" two airbags, there is still the lack of control unit to bring up the light, and I will also still have an "obviously missing" airbag too.

nothing's simple or straight forward:

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=25433

[gac]

I wonder how the upcoming VOSA advice for airbag lights only being a failure item if they indicate a fault tie in with the "obviously missing" airbag clause.

I.e. if Jason does leave his airbag controller out, then does he still need a steering wheel with an airbag fitted to pass, or does it then become tested as a car which didn't come with airbags from the factory (even though it's far too late a build for that to be the case) and the airbag isn't "obviously missing"