MOT without third brake light - RESULTS ARE IN

[wonkydonkey]

No excuses, I just left it too late to give the car the once over before a slightly last-minute MOT tomorrow. Turns out the middle brake light is not working.

This is the car's first MOT in my ownership and I haven't driven it for a couple of months. Fingers crossed, I guess! :rofl:

So for a bit of fun, I've put up a poll to see whether you think it'll fail on the brake light. By all means let me know if you've passed or failed with a broken third brake light! MOT queries always get weirdly heated on forums, so unleash the fury! :evil: :lol:

Update:

The car didn't fail (or get an advisory) for the third brake light Congrats to the few of you who voted "No"!

 

[Crazy Harry]

I've had a Clio fail with half the LEds blown in the third (high level) brake light. Its installed by the manufacturer - rather than being an accessory so in my view its like any of the two other brake lights. Sorry!

 

[buzyg]

Has to fail with a brake light out.

 

[wonkydonkey]

I'd be disappointed if a car passed its MOT with any brake lights out, but some forum MOT guy seemed to think it could pass. Shame I haven't had time to fault find it, having only discovered it late tonight.

 

[wonkydonkey]

So do Z4s not tell you when a bulb isn't working? Perhaps I've got too used to Audi sophistication over the last 11 years!

 

[mmm-five]

If the tester believes your 3rd light is purely cosmetic (and he can’t take anything apart to check) then he may pass it.

However, if he notices it’s not working, and there’s a bulb out warning on the dash, then it should be a fail.

 

[wonkydonkey]

If the tester believes your 3rd light is purely cosmetic (and he can’t take anything apart to check) then he may pass it.

This is the argument I have seen put forward. Very much down to the tester from the sounds of it. I've never used him before, so we have no relationship whatsoever. New light is on order but the long weekend won't help me out with postage!

 

[BeeEmm]

I believe that if the '3rd' brake light is fitted, it must be in working order. If it is disconnected, or you tell the Tester that it is disconnected (i.e. no wiring) it will pass as the Tester cannot dismantle it to see if you are lying and the rule is that the benefit must be given to the presenter. Both the offside and nearside brake lights of course must be working.

 

[wonkydonkey]

I believe that if the '3rd' brake light is fitted, it must be in working order. If it is disconnected, or you tell the Tester that it is disconnected (i.e. no wiring) it will pass as the Tester cannot dismantle it to see if you are lying and the rule is that the benefit must be given to the presenter. Both the offside and nearside brake lights of course must be working.

That is well worth knowing, thank you. The current light is cracked so I definitely disconnected it to prevent water ingress into the electrics :roll: . The new light will resolve that issue when it arrives

 

[TitanTim]

I would have thought if a third brake light is fitted it would fail the MOT if not working as it's fitted for a reason i.e. safety, I've not heard of a brake light fitted for cosmetic reasons :?

Tim.

 

[andyf1140]

If fitted it must be working and the tester should actively test all of the lights in multiple combinations to check for shorts and bad earths

 

[mmm-five]

I would have thought if a third brake light is fitted it would fail the MOT if not working as it's fitted for a reason i.e. safety, I've not heard of a brake light fitted for cosmetic reasons :?

Tim.

Never seen it on a Z4, but some French manufacturers thought it looked sporty, but couldn’t be bothered to wire it up.

 

[BeeEmm]

Here is a link to the MOT Tester's manual updated May 2018 on DVSA's GOV.UK website.
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/

 

[wonkydonkey]

Here is a link to the MOT Tester's manual updated May 2018 on DVSA's GOV.UK website.
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/

Thanks. Based on me disconnecting the third brake light until the replacement arrives (as explained to the tester this morning), I expect the following two excerpts will apply (as per your comment earlier in this post):






The belief that "anything fitted to the car must work" is a fairly safe and conservative approach to follow, but isn't necessarily true. That reminds me, I really must refill the butane in my bonnet-mounted flame thrower! :fuelfire:

 

[BeeEmm]

Absolutely.

 

[wonkydonkey]

Absolutely.

The results are in - you were right Maximum points to you, sir!

 

[wonkydonkey]

So as per my update at the top of this thread, the car did not fail for a non-functioning third brake light. I declared that I had disconnected it due to concerns regarding potential water ingress into the electrics via the cracked lens. The replacement light should arrive next week and I'll fit it immediately as I do not want to be driving a car without its third brake light.

 

[buzyg]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

 

[BeeEmm]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out

Bonjour, With modern cars that have an automatic parking brake and start/stop, the brake lights are always on when stationary, even though the driver has their feet of the pedals. Not something I agree with.

 

[wonkydonkey]

So why do they bother putting the annoying central brake lights on cars in the first place. Nothing worse that sitting at the lights behind some twonk with their foot glued to the brake and the third high level light burning your eyes out.

Don't get me started on these people. Seems at least 80% of cars at a standstill on the road (traffic lights, junctions, roundabouts etc) have their brake lights on. What are they doing??!