Had a big argument at the MOT test station today!

Took my car for its annual MOT. Did the usual check to make sure there was nothing obviously wrong with it before taking it in. Watched the MOT guy while he carried out the test from the viewing area and noticed he did not have a clue about how to activate the headlamp wipers/washers. And as this is now part of the MOT I though I better tell him the process. I thought fair enough its not unreasonable for the MOT tester to not know the method of activating the headlamp wipers washers on every vehicle so explained the process to him.

Then I noticed that he was looking at the dashboard lights for a long time and even got another chap over. They spent a good few minutes shining torches into the dash area and then carried on. Anyway eventually the MOT check was finished, took nearly an hour. The guy came over and informed me that he was failing my car due to the ABS light not coming on when turning on the ignition.

Well this shocked me as I know for a fact it was working when I left home to take my car for its MOT. But the guy was adamant that it was faulty and that loads of folk remove the bulb when it sticks on due to an ABS fault. So this comment did put my heckles up a bit, and I then questioned his technique for testing the ABS light function when turning the ignition key.

My first query was did he remove the key from the ignition lock before testing the ABS light? His answer was No as the MOT test documentation does not state that you have to remove the key, you simply have to turn the ignition off and back on. So I said lets try removing the key from the ignition and test it again. I did this in front of him several times and every time the ABS light lit for 3 seconds and turned off just as it should. So you would think that would be the end of it? And he would be satisfied all was as it should be and I had not removed the bulb as he originally thought.

While I was not exactly expecting an apology what happened next was, and still is beyond my comprehension. Even though I had shown him that the ABS light turned on and off as designed he still said he was failing my car due to the fact that the keys had to be removed from the ignition. Well this was just crazy and I put to him the fact that pretty much every Land Rover and Range Rover car in the country would fail its MOT under this type of stipulation. I also asked him how I could possibly fix this as the car was obviously working as intended, to which I just got a shruck of the shoulders.

So now I was starting to get pretty annoyed with this guys total lack of common sense. So I said to the guy, I just can't be bothered to argue with you over this, feel free to fail my car but I will be appealing the failure to VOSA. Then he suddenly changed his original stance of it failing, and said ok I will pass it this time!! Like he was doing me a favour. Well I just took my MOT certificate and got out of there as quick as I could. Guess I won't be taking my car there for an MOT again.

Later I started to think about the whole thing and realised that the whole time he was doing the MOT he not only had the keys in the ignition but the driver door was open. So the car would have been doing its annoying bing bing bing the whole time he had the ignition turned off. That alone would have driven me crazy and I would have removed the keys just to shut the binging up. I guess he must of liked the sound of the bing!!

There is a reason why he's a greasemonkey and not managing a large company You should still report the matter to VOSA; it's the only way they get to find out about these morons.

Oh, and the expression "common sense" is an oxymoron. It isn't actually very common.

Name & shame & go elsewhere the guy is a double moron.

I don't see how a tester can fail a car then change his mind and pass it without remedial work being carried out to correct the fault which caused him to fail the car in the first place.
A letter to VOSA is in order drawing their attention to this situation.
As an aside if you attend for an mot and your car fails and you are in disagrement with the tester over the point of failure just ask the tester for Form VT17, they are obliged to give you a copy.
This is the form on which you can appeal the mot testers decision.
It's amazing when you ask for the form how the testers opinion regarding the failure point can suddenly, albeit grudgingly, be revised as if by magic into a non failure point.

every car is different and has its own 'traits' and mot inspectors will find it difficult to know all the system functions but, this chap should have realised his mistake with a smile and an apology but he was obviously a grumpy sod... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Moneysavingexpert recommends getting mot done at local council test centres - they don't do repairs so not looking for faults to boost profits

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-mot Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Actually Stan, when a car is logged onto the computer for an mot a sheet is printed automatically outlining any quirks the car may have that affects the mot test and the proceedure required to overcome them.
Raising the car to test the suspension components is an example.

so it looks like chappy didn't read his 'sheet' re the key/ignition/abs....like i said, an apology and a smile would have made every one happy.. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Muddywheels wrote:

Moneysavingexpert recommends getting mot done at local council test centres - they don't do repairs so not looking for faults to boost profits

On a side note, unlike in the UK, in France, the CT (MOT) centers are independent centers - not affiliated with any garage : in fact, a CT center cannot be a garage and vice versa.

This certainly greatly reduces the amount of chaps trying to find something wrong with one's vehicule expecting to charge laber and parts right away.

Maybe this should be done this way in the UK too...  l=Oo\________/oO=l l:OolΞΞΞΞΞΞΞloO:l

Current
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L SDV8 - 2013 - Indus Silver, on Almond.
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L V8 - 2002 - ex-2003 G4 Challenge Event Vehicle, Stage 3: Australia
RANGE ROVER HSE 4.4L V8 - 2004 - one-of-one Overfinch
RANGE ROVER P38a 4.0L V8 - 1999 - ex-2000 TReK Event Vehicle: South Africa

Previous:
RANGE ROVER Vogue 4.4L TDV8 - 2012 - RANGE ROVER 3.6L TDV8 x3 - RANGE ROVER Td6 x1 - RANGE ROVER Classic 3.5L V8 x1

Its how the NI system currently works but its a nightmare as trying to book an MOT over there can take an age to get and if your miles from any centres your stuffed with the travel time anyway

I've seen a few 1-2man type garages that are just like MOT centres that will only take on a few hours of work per car should it fail and i guess this is a good inbetween situation where they only have 1 ramp so limited time and space for working on vehicles  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

verydisco wrote:

Muddywheels wrote:

Moneysavingexpert recommends getting mot done at local council test centres - they don't do repairs so not looking for faults to boost profits

On a side note, unlike in the UK, in France, the CT (MOT) centers are independent centers - not affiliated with any garage : in fact, a CT center cannot be a garage and vice versa.

This certainly greatly reduces the amount of chaps trying to find something wrong with one's vehicule expecting to charge laber and parts right away.

Maybe this should be done this way in the UK too...

mmm... be careful what you wish for I reckon. Nationalising the MOT test in effect.

The VOSA testing stations (and by the way some have recently been shut) charge £450 for a 3 hour IVA test and £90 for a retest. They are the only place you can go for such a test when you are registering a new vehicle in the UK (importing or building a car)

They may well do MOT's at the same price as you local garage now but imagine they were the only ones able to do MOTs?! Doubt it would stay that cost for long...  Lloyd Barnes

Current
Crendon 427 Sideoiler Cobra in build... 7 litres of madness!

Gone
2008 TDV8 Vogue - Black with Ivory/Grand Black Lacquer
2008 VW Touareg 3.0Tdi
6.3litre Dax Cobra - 12.34 Second 1/4mile at 114mph

He was on about Council depots, Not VOSA sites

Regarding VOSA, they have now allowed private Authorised Tesing Facilities (ATFs) so it's no longer a State monopoly on goods vehicle testing. I don't know if ATFs can do IVA tests? Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

15 MY 110 XS USW

54 FFRR Vogue TD6 Touchscreen - Gone!
56 FFRR TDV8 VSE - Gone!

[]

Aha, perhaps they are cheaper. Not sure if ATF's can do IVA's but worth checking into. £450 is a heavy price to swallow for a 3hr test! Lloyd Barnes

Current
Crendon 427 Sideoiler Cobra in build... 7 litres of madness!

Gone
2008 TDV8 Vogue - Black with Ivory/Grand Black Lacquer
2008 VW Touareg 3.0Tdi
6.3litre Dax Cobra - 12.34 Second 1/4mile at 114mph

We have a local "test only" place, they only carry out MOTs and do no repairs etc so have no motivation to fail the car.

I take all of our vehicles to these guys and they are always accurate and fair in their assessment of the vehicle from our vans to the private cars, and as they dont offer repairs or recommend a suitable garage then i am happy to pay the full test fee they charge.

I have been in the situation where a car has been in the dealers for a service and MOT only to find the car has failed and "Needs new Discs Sir", a quick drive to the "testing only" facility and I have a fresh MOT.

I Always use these places so much better than a garage. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Shocks me to read that you took it to a normal garage over an independent land rover garage