Those with HIDs beware.....2012 MOT changes

Everton

Everton

Club Member
Oct 10, 2009
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Liverpool
Just seen this on another forum.....upcoming changes to the MOT test beginning January next year:

New additons to the MOT test will take effect from 1st January 2012 and are being introduced in response to European Commission Directive 2010/48/EU of the 5th July 2010.
The big two outlaw aftermarket lights and piggyback ECU chips:

Specifically:

Headlights:

4.1.4 Compliance with requirements:
(a ) Lamp, emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
(B ) Products on lens or light source which obviously reduce light intensity or change emitted colour
(c ) Light source and lamp not compatible

4.1.5. Levelling devices (where mandatory):
(a ) Device not operating.
(B ) Manual device cannot be operated from driver’s seat.

4.1.6 Headlamp cleaning device (where mandatory):
Device not operating.

Engine Control:

6.1.9 Engine performance:
(a ) Control unit illegally modified.
(B ) Illegal engine modification.

4.11. Electrical wiring
(a ) Wiring insecure or not adequately secured.
(B ) Wiring deteriorated.
(c ) Damaged or deteriorated insulation

Airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner systems:

7.1.4. Safety belt Pre-tensioners:
Pre-tensioner obviously missing or not suitable with the vehicle.

7.1.5. Airbag:
(a ) Airbags obviously missing or not suitable with the vehicle.
(B ) Airbag obviously non-operative.

7.1.6. SRS Systems:
SRS MIL indicates any kind of failure of the system.

So HIDs will be a fail, wonder if it means those who have had their cars remapped will be failed??? :eek:
 
HID's on a C1 are fine mate as its a projector lense and self levelling is fine, C2 may be different though and may need to have a new lense fitted. As for remapping, from what i have gathered from speaking to MOT testers (who are not fully certain what the new guidelines mean) its the installation of performance upgrade ecu's like the Bluechip that will be a fail
 
Piggy back ecu's are the likes of superchips blufin ect but this is not set in stone as bluefin ect would have legal case as they where not illegal when sold and do not alter the cars emissions. Remapping is a very grey area as unless the test stations have diagnostics for every car manufacturer it would be unworkable.
A lot will be down to the testers disgression.
 
We did have another thread on this a while back, it crops up every so often. From reading that list above, hids would be the least of my worries as they are very easily changed. The wiring issue would be a far bigger concern, if the insulation etc is failed its a pain to re-wrap it. Also, if an ecu is reprogrammed to suit a legally modified engine so that it runs suitably enough to meet legislation, how could it possibly fail.
Imo, the car industry and the government shoot themselves in the foot every year.
Next thing you know, it'll be illegal to print car stickers.:LOL:
 
Pid_16V said:
We did have another thread on this a while back, it crops up every so often. From reading that list above, hids would be the least of my worries as they are very easily changed. The wiring issue would be a far bigger concern, if the insulation etc is failed its a pain to re-wrap it. Also, if an ecu is reprogrammed to suit a legally modified engine so that it runs suitably enough to meet legislation, how could it possibly fail.
Imo, the car industry and the government shoot themselves in the foot every year.
Next thing you know, it'll be illegal to print car stickers.:LOL:
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Well at least with the name "FORD" printed on it anyway! lol
 
What I don't get is how are Road Rally car going to get around this? For a lot of circuits a valid MOT is required. But if you've fitted bucket seats, harnesses and a sports steering wheel, how is it going to pass if the pretensioners have been removed?
 
everton2004 said:
The big two outlaw aftermarket lights and piggyback ECU chips:
Specifically:

Headlights:

4.1.4 Compliance with requirements:
(a ) Lamp, emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements HID are in accordance with requirements otherwise new cars wouldn't be allowed to have them
(B ) Products on lens or light source which obviously reduce light intensity or change emitted colour HID do not reduce light intensity, they enhance it
(c ) Light source and lamp not compatible They are compatible if installed correctly

4.1.5. Levelling devices (where mandatory):
(a ) Device not operating.
(B ) Manual device cannot be operated from driver’s seat.

4.1.6 Headlamp cleaning device (where mandatory):
Device not operating.

Engine Control:

6.1.9 Engine performance:
(a ) Control unit illegally modified. Are Bluefin illegal? They weren't when I bought & fitted mine
(B ) Illegal engine modification. Is it an illegal modification?

4.11. Electrical wiring
(a ) Wiring insecure or not adequately secured.
(B ) Wiring deteriorated.
(c ) Damaged or deteriorated insulation

Airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner systems:

7.1.4. Safety belt Pre-tensioners:
Pre-tensioner obviously missing or not suitable with the vehicle.

7.1.5. Airbag:
(a ) Airbags obviously missing or not suitable with the vehicle.
(B ) Airbag obviously non-operative.

7.1.6. SRS Systems:
SRS MIL indicates any kind of failure of the system.

So HIDs will be a fail, wonder if it means those who have had their cars remapped will be failed??? :eek:
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I'm not argueing with you on the above issues, merely replying with my views.
Is the Bluefin, which is a remap, classed as 'piggyback'?
I always thought that a piggyback was something that plugged into the ecu & stayed plugged in, then ran on the back of the ecu.
Having spoken to the guy who does my MOT's, he is aware of the changes but states that mine will be ok.

Maybe I'm way off the mark here, only time will tell.
 
Hip said:
What I don't get is how are Road Rally car going to get around this? For a lot of circuits a valid MOT is required. But if you've fitted bucket seats, harnesses and a sports steering wheel, how is it going to pass if the pretensioners have been removed?
Click to expand...
i would think classification like Group N wouuld be exempt from this.



sent with a click 'cause my lick don't stick
 
So that's Max Power, Redline, Fast Ford etc out of business then as all their cars have custom everything with airbags removed, bucket seats, custom wiring looms for the fibreglass dashboards etc. So according to that list 95% of the cars that will be at this years car shows will be off the road next year??

They'll never get it sanctioned because they make too much money in Automotive retail, fuel and taxes etc on alot of these people having 2 or 3 cars in the case of those that keep their modded ones for the weekend.
 
i would love to know how joe bloggs mot testing station can possibly have the correct software and time to check each car's ecu and decifer what is a remap and what is not
 
scunnycougar said:
i would love to know how joe bloggs mot testing station can possibly have the correct software and time to check each car's ecu and decifer what is a remap and what is not
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Agreed with the first sensible thing you have posted Si,

Its all about falling in with the rest of Europe .... cobblers to Europe
 
because flashes have a serial number just like everything else. If the revision number doesnt match a known list chances are its flashed.
 
The test station we use doesn't even have an obdII reader they farm everything out to a local auto spark.
 
4.1.4.b) is referring to tinted lights incase anyone hadn't noticed. I can't say I disagree to be honest. I like the look of the Cougar tail lights tinted red, but I've seen loads of boy racers with tints so heavy that their tail lights / brakes / indicators are just a dim glow even in the dead of night on an unlit road. That's not really fulfilling the purpose they are there for...
 
jamie_duff said:
4.1.4.b) is referring to tinted lights incase anyone hadn't noticed. I can't say I disagree to be honest. I like the look of the Cougar tail lights tinted red, but I've seen loads of boy racers with tints so heavy that their tail lights / brakes / indicators are just a dim glow even in the dead of night on an unlit road. That's not really fulfilling the purpose they are there for...
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Tinted Headlights though. Would that apply to rear lights?
 
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