Airbag Light on - Failed MOT?
- Thread starter Marco
- Start date
I believe it is a fail nowadays.
No, there is no "grace period" as such, and technically the car is not allowed on the road without a valid M.O.T. I have heard that you are (may be?) ok if you are driving the vehicle on the way to the M.O.T station, but even then I guess there is a question as to whether you are insured or not.
No, there is no "grace period" as such, and technically the car is not allowed on the road without a valid M.O.T. I have heard that you are (may be?) ok if you are driving the vehicle on the way to the M.O.T station, but even then I guess there is a question as to whether you are insured or not.
Liverpool
The full text is somewhere on the DVLA/DirectGov site, but I can't find the bookmark I made, but there's a summary on most car sites on the web - including the AA's site.DanSprag said:
lacroupade
Veteran
Correct, ANY warning light including EML has been a failure since Jan 1st. Discussed at length with my local MoT man and caused my 4x4 to go in for MoT on the 30th Dec to avoid an airbag light failure (caused by replacing seats with earlier non-airbag equipped versions).
And to clarify one point raised - if your MoT fails and has also expired, its a grey area about being allowed to drive home afterwards, but if you get the fault fixed within 10 working days then only a partial retest is required.
If it fails but the old MoT is still current, then technically you can still drive because you are NOT guilty of the offence of not having a current MoT - but you MAY WELL be guilty of driving a vehicle in an unroadworthy condition, depending on what failed. This is why its also a grey area when driving home from a failed and expired MoT test.
And to clarify one point raised - if your MoT fails and has also expired, its a grey area about being allowed to drive home afterwards, but if you get the fault fixed within 10 working days then only a partial retest is required.
If it fails but the old MoT is still current, then technically you can still drive because you are NOT guilty of the offence of not having a current MoT - but you MAY WELL be guilty of driving a vehicle in an unroadworthy condition, depending on what failed. This is why its also a grey area when driving home from a failed and expired MoT test.
You can also only drive it to the MOT station for a pre booked test and from the place of repair.
Of course it needs to be insured.
No driving around pretending you're taking it to be tested later.
Of course it needs to be insured.
No driving around pretending you're taking it to be tested later.
As far as I understood it, if you have no MOT you can drive to and from a pre-arranged MOT appointment at a garage. I suspect if the arrangement is at the other end of the country, or you're caught shopping on your way to and from that appointment the BiB won't look favourably on it!
I know quite a few people who've driven with no MOTs now, purely through not realising it had expired. The only one to get caught was my sister-in-law, who was caught speeding by Traffic Police who pulled her over and asked for the vehicle docs to be taken to the station. As far as I'm aware, the only punishment (for both offences) was points and fine.
I know quite a few people who've driven with no MOTs now, purely through not realising it had expired. The only one to get caught was my sister-in-law, who was caught speeding by Traffic Police who pulled her over and asked for the vehicle docs to be taken to the station. As far as I'm aware, the only punishment (for both offences) was points and fine.
As from 1 Jan 2012:
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
Airbag warning light
Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light
Steering & suspension
The new test includes a check on the presence and correct function of the steering lock where fitted as standard.
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
Airbag warning light
Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light
Steering & suspension
The new test includes a check on the presence and correct function of the steering lock where fitted as standard.
I have just noticed this on the AA link (http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html):
"VOSA, the government agency responsible for the MOT, has indicated that 'failures' relating to the new test items will be treated as 'advisories' in the first three months. This means that if you have any of the following problems with your car you've got until the first MOT renewal date after 1 April 2012 to get it fixed."
So it seems like we will still be ok up until April 2012...
"VOSA, the government agency responsible for the MOT, has indicated that 'failures' relating to the new test items will be treated as 'advisories' in the first three months. This means that if you have any of the following problems with your car you've got until the first MOT renewal date after 1 April 2012 to get it fixed."
So it seems like we will still be ok up until April 2012...
Just an update. I went to Kwik-Fit yesterday and asked them if the Airbag Light would be a fail or advisory (as per my previous post above), and they advised that it would pass with an advisory. Took it in for the MOT today and it passed, not only that, but the airbag light was not even listed as an advisory!