UK Requirement - Speedometer must display MPH

stoofa

stoofa

stoofa

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I am more than happy to be shot down on this one.
However I know I have read this somewhere before and it was on an "official" site - but for some reason I didn't bookmark it.

I was under the impression that for a vehicle to have Type Approval and conform to the Construction & Use Regulations here in the UK that the speedometer was not allowed to display speeds in KMPH only - it must display MPH.
If both MPH & KMPH is displayed then MPH must be more prominent.

If this certainly isn't the case then please shoot me down.
If this is the case could somebody provide me with a link confirming?
Actually - a link "shooting me down" if that is the case would also be appreciated.
 
My advice, try dividing the number by 8 and times by 5 and try and concentrate on the road at the same time. :)

Your head will explode.
 
johnny6 said:
From my experience having a G60 import I never had a problem with it only displaying KM
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just because you have never had a problem doesnt make it legal;)

afaik you just have to have a mph scale on the speedo,regardless if the mph scale is smaller than the kmh scale.you definately do have to be have a mph scale on the speedo
 
Fairly certain you need the speedo in mph if it's to pass an SVA test, needs to be pretty accurately calibrated too because they will test it.

You don't need mph to pass an MOT though, so 10yo+ imports can get away with it. Honestly though, it's a pain in the ass having a kmh dial, constantly having to work out what your speed is in real money.
 
I'm pretty sure it does have to show MPH, because I remember when looking at FTO imports that was a sign of how much care the car had had. Some had a complete speedo change while others just had numbers stuck on.
 
Clarkey said:
You don't need mph to pass an MOT though, so 10yo+ imports can get away with it. Honestly though, it's a pain in the ass having a kmh dial, constantly having to work out what your speed is in real money.
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However if that first MOT has the mileage logged in Kilometers then the DVLA will ask you to prove that it's been converted to MPH, which could get awkward having to convince some jobsworth bureaucrat that you have put stickers on your speedo or whatever.

I'm going through this at the moment (car has left the docks today) I plan on leaving the speedo in KMh and fitting a Defi VFD heads up display to show me mph, so I'll probably end up taking the manual with me when I go to register the car, fortunately my experiences with the Cardiff DVLA local orifice have been much more pleasant than at the other ones I've dealt with, there seems to be some common sense still left within that organisation.
 
Don't know why people have an issue with using Kilometers on British roads.

Surely all to have to remember is 50, 65 and 115 Kilometers per hour for the bulk of British roads.
 
Taken from another forum so unsure of the orignal source however:

Speedometers

Fitting

Regulation 35 Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 states that every motor vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer except:

a vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 m.p.h.,
a vehicle which, at all times, is unlawful to drive at more than 25 m.p.h.,
an agricultural motor vehicle driven at not more than 20 m.p.h.,
a motor cycle not exceeding 100cc first used before 1st April 1984,
an invalid carriage first used before 1st April 1984,
a works truck first used before 1st April 1984,
any vehicle first used before 1st October 1937,
a vehicle fitted with an approved tachograph which is required or not.

Vehicles first used on or after 1st April 1984 the speedometer should be capable of indicating the speed in miles per hour and kilometres per hour. Vehicles may instead comply with EC Regulation (Community Directive) 97/39 or ECE Reg 39.
These directives stipulate the markings, graduations of the speedometer and refer to 75/443/EEC which specifies the tolerances.

The indicated speed must never be less than the true speed (it must read exact or high) and between 40km/h and 120km/h the error must not exceed 10% + 2.5 m.p.h. high (true speed/10 + 4kph).
This means at a true speed of 25mph or 40km/h the speedometer may read 40/10+4 = 8km/h or 5mph high = 30mph indicated.

Maintenance

Regulation 36 Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 states that the speedometer fitted to a vehicle must be kept free from any obstruction which may prevent it from being easily read and shall at all times it is used on a road be maintained in good working order except if:

the speedometer became defective during the journey being undertaken, or
steps have been taken to have the defect remedied by replacement or repair with all reasonable expedition, or
the vehicle is fitted with an approved tachograph which is required to be fitted under the Community Recording Equipment Regulation (offence is under that regulation).
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Also although a working speedo is a legal requirement it's not a requirement for the MOT test.
 
So all these imports that are mph only due to being fitted with a gearbox on the speedo cable (or electronic equivalent) and the K lopped off the KM/h marking are breaking that regulation? Hmm

Probably a good job I'm going to be using this switchable Defi unit then.
 
johnny6 said:
Don't know why people have an issue with using Kilometers on British roads.

Surely all to have to remember is 50, 65 and 115 Kilometers per hour for the bulk of British roads.
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if you follow those rules you will be speeding everywhere (depending on how accurate your speedo is

its

30mph = 48kph
40mph = 64kph
50mph = 80kph
60mph = 96kph
70mph = 112kph
 
My bike passed its MOT 2 weeks ago with a speedo that SAYS 0-150 KPH on it... (it has a converter so its actually MPH, the tester didnt know this though)

MOT tester didnt even mention it...

the bike was imported in 1997 without the converter without any issues.. from my experience i would say it's not a 'law', maybe at most a guideline.. that whoever checks vehicles on import must ignore.

my fathers GT-Four didnt have a MPH reading either.

as said above, its does add an extra element to distract you from the road if it doesnt read mph but i guess if you used something with a kph speedo for any length of time you would get used to it.
 
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My Skyline read in KMH and it passed more than one MOT.

As mentioned previously you'll need it to show MPH to pass an ESVA test but that's about it.
 
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