New MOT failures

[CortinaDave]

Had my A4 in for its test today. Failed on some minor welding and bits and bobs... one to be aware of though which seems a new thing is that it was failed for "headlamp levelling device inoperative"  - IE the headlight position switch that never seems to work in old cars 

I'd never even tried it in the audi as I dont tow anything so have no real need for it.

It looks a pain in the arse to fix given I'll never use it.. so I'm wondering if setting the beams manually,buying a blanking plate and taking the levelling switch out will get me a pass? 

 

[Jamie]

If its got oem xenons it'll be a requirement. However if it just has halogens and you blank the switch off it shoukd be fine. 

[camryv6]

Do they mean the leveller underneath connected to the suspension ?

[Kiltox]

  On 07/11/2019 at 20:40, camryv6 said:

Do they mean the leveller underneath connected to the suspension ?

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You only get one of those if you have factory Xenons, no?

New one on me, I guess this was added to the test in April 2018?

[camryv6]

  On 07/11/2019 at 20:43, Kiltox said:

You only get one of those if you have factory Xenons, no?

 

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I believe if the levellers underneath are fitted they have to be connected, but there is no way to test on an MOT if they are working ?

[camryv6]

  On 07/11/2019 at 20:43, Kiltox said:

You only get one of those if you have factory Xenons, no?

 

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Sorry just re read your question and yes just Xenon's I think 

[sierraman]

The headlight levelling thing has been a fail for years I think. 

[sutty2006]

I remember seeing that on a manual update email from Gov.uk a few weeks ago. Just more bullshit fails to try get old motors off the road. 

[Sir Snipes]

  On 07/11/2019 at 20:51, sierraman said:

The headlight levelling thing has been a fail for years I think. 

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Yes. Headlights cleaners (usually a water spray) too. I wouldn't say they are bullshit- we all complain about how blinding modern headlights are.

[Jamie]

  On 07/11/2019 at 21:19, Snipes said:

Yes. Headlights cleaners (usually a water spray) too. I wouldn't say they are bullshit- we all complain about how blinding modern headlights are.

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Yeah, my wife's mini has led headlights and literally everyone flashes you thinking you have your beam on

[Zelandeth]

It's officially been a fail for years I think...though I don't ever remember seeing it checked.  The Lada ones (hydraulic!) never work...so that'll be a fun game come MOT if they're actually checking it now...

[Patent]

  On 07/11/2019 at 21:24, jamiechod said:

Yeah, my wife's mini has led headlights and literally everyone flashes you thinking you have your beam on

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Every mini I've driven / seen with older xenons or newer LEDs seems to be like this!

It seems the adjustment mechanism is really sensitive to the suspension inputs as you can see the beam height Bob up down as they jostle along down the road.  Land rover products seems to have the same issue 

I've always wondered if they bought their setup from the same manufacturer or whether there is little/no damping in the adjustment response

[Dead_E23]

I recently saw (somewhere, possibly here) that 'missing heatshield' was a fail. That was a new one to me - is it a recent one?

[sierraman]

I had a Fiesta years ago - maybe about 2012ish and it failed on the height adjustment on the headlights. Quick fuck about with the screwdriver so that the actual height could be manually adjusted and it was job jobbed. 

[Jamie]

  On 07/11/2019 at 21:42, Patent said:

Every mini I've driven / seen with older xenons or newer LEDs seems to be like this!

It seems the adjustment mechanism is really sensitive to the suspension inputs as you can see the beam height Bob up down as they jostle along down the road.  Land rover products seems to have the same issue 

I've always wondered if they bought their setup from the same manufacturer or whether there is little/no damping in the adjustment response

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Ah yeah does make sense, they are fuckin class though on country roads lol 

[Split_Pin]

Wait, I'm confused. Are we talking the self-levellers required for Xenons or the dial on the dash to manually adjust normal halogen units.

The ones on my old Astra Coupe never worked and didnt appear to form part of the test.

[robinmasters]

I spent ages last week trying to find the headlight beam adjuster last week.  On my Xantia.  ?

[Jamie]

The suspense is killing me for an update if this is a self leveling xenon arm adjuster or the adjuster in the headlight ?

[beko1987]

  On 07/11/2019 at 20:43, Kiltox said:

You only get one of those if you have factory Xenons, no?

New one on me, I guess this was added to the test in April 2018?

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Our old blue gooner would have failed it's test with me had I not cable tied the arms back together for the passenger leveller. 

Granted it snapped after about 4 days but meh, the headlights weren't improved with it level vs pointing at the gutter. Infact I preferred it in the end, could keep an eye out for shit or deer on the verge

[wuvvum]

In my experience xenon headlights are almost universally shit.  Never had anything modern enough to have LED headlights, but the one on my pushbike is pretty good.

[Wack]

  On 07/11/2019 at 21:24, jamiechod said:

Yeah, my wife's mini has led headlights and literally everyone flashes you thinking you have your beam on

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They must be set too high , my B class has LED headlights , in 3 years and 30,000 miles I've never been flashed once

 

[Jamie]

  On 08/11/2019 at 01:39, Wack said:

They must be set too high , my B class has LED headlights , in 3 years and 30,000 miles I've never been flashed once

 

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It's less than a year old and as far as I remember people have done it since new but as Patent says its a mini-wide issue I think. I also get flashed a lot in my bm but think its cos stuff is usually falling off

[sutty2006]

Says it right here in black and white direct from the testing manual 

 

 

[twosmoke300]

There you go ! Official 

[Andy F]

  On 07/11/2019 at 23:01, robinmasters said:

I spent ages last week trying to find the headlight beam adjuster last week.  On my Xantia.  ?

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I do admire Citroens approach to this, just keep the whole car level!

[CortinaDave]

It was indeed the manual height adjuster in the car - I only have normal halogens fitted.

I set the beams properly manually and took it for another test elsewhere today once I'd fixed the other bits needed and it passed with no mention of the leveller.

[DodgyBastard]

  On 09/11/2019 at 20:39, CortinaDave said:

It was indeed the manual height adjuster in the car - I only have normal halogens fitted.

I set the beams properly manually and took it for another test elsewhere today once I'd fixed the other bits needed and it passed with no mention of the leveller.

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I can recommend a shite friendly mot station in Dunfermline for future reference if you'd like.

[egg]

Mazda failed on this. Switch now covered by rubber blanking plate

[CortinaDave]

  On 09/11/2019 at 20:58, DodgyBastard said:

I can recommend a shite friendly mot station in Dunfermline for future reference if you'd like.

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Yeah the garage I use used to be very fair on MOTs  but they’ve cremated my car the last 2 years, cremated my mrs car and my mums this year too, hence me going for a different test station for the retest who seemed better. Think they are done for me now.

suggestions greatfully taken! 

[DodgyBastard]

  On 09/11/2019 at 22:10, CortinaDave said:

Yeah the garage I use used to be very fair on MOTs  but they’ve cremated my car the last 2 years, cremated my mrs car and my mums this year too, hence me going for a different test station for the retest who seemed better. Think they are done for me now.

suggestions greatfully taken! 

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Autoweld in Elgin Industrial estate, test is £55 or £45 trade but they don't do any form of repair work so have less incentive to fail things.