Worth appealing, or moving on with life (MOT)

[Jamesyboyjim]

Hi guys, I took my car for an MOT at the weekend, (Kwik fit, probably should have known better) they failed my car because the headlights were too high, re-adjusted them in the cabin (i.e. flicked the roller switch down one then passed it.

I argued this was stupid and why couldn't they have just checked mid test, put it as an advisory if they had to "tester had to adjust headlight" I said my piece to the garage, they said it was too late now to change it so I left.

I'm going to be selling the car most likely end of the year and now its perfect MOT record has a silly blemish, not sure really if this would put a buyer off but its still annoying. I know you can appeal these things, but honestly, would you bother? Would this get me anywhere? I suppose a serious buyer would see why its failed and know it was a silly one anyway and its not like its a valuable car. Thoughts guys?

 

[The Running Man]

These places are stupid. So was toyota. I took my car and asked if they could for a new bulb before the MOT.

Instead they did an mot. Failed it, fitted the bulb and passed it...

 

[ShiWarrior]

i wouldn't worry

same with my car a few years ago, aim to low, failed (or an advisory i cant remember) adjusted it, retested it

Last mot they failed it on a bulb (and i told them i had a new one ready to go in) so they failed it THEN put the bulb in a re tested it

 

[IAmATeaf]

Do they get more money if they fail and retest? I know not from the owner but can't see why else they would do this as it's nonsense to fail it for an item they are aware of in some of the cases above and then pass it on a restest?

 

[tom_e]

Pretty standard practice it failed that MOT you can't argue with that fact.

 

[FlapR]

Had a similar thing happen a couple of years ago, told them I needed new wiper blades when I dropped the car off and asked them to do first then the MOT which the agreed to. They ofcourse did the exact opposite.

 

[jsmoke]

They're probably not at fault tbh as past experience will have taught them to cover their back. For example if they flicked the adjustment switch and passed you and you flicked the switch back later on and the police stopped you and told you it was not road worthy, you could say well kwit fit passed it and they could be liable etc.

Why do cars have this switch anyway if it's not legal?

 

[[TW]Fox]

Why do cars have this switch anyway if it's not legal?

To allow you to adjust your headlight aim when towing or carrying a very heavy load.

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

I suppose the more I think about it, my car was technically a failure so there's nothing really to appeal. But you'd think a human tester would use a bit of savvy to help a customer out.

 

[jsmoke]

To allow you to adjust your headlight aim when towing or carrying a very heavy load.

But if you were carrying a heavy load surely you would need to lower the headlight yet in this case the headlights were too high?

 

[paradigm]

I suppose the more I think about it, my car was technically a failure so there's nothing really to appeal. But you'd think a human tester would use a bit of savvy to help a customer out.

And this is why I’ll always use the little country village garage down the road for MOTs. They won’t pass anything dodgy, but given that they know each customer by name, they’ll happily adjust an aim here or replace a bulb there.

 

[Dogbreath]

But if you were carrying a heavy load surely you would need to lower the headlight yet in this case the headlights were too high?

Correct, if the beams are too high with no load in the car then the mechanical alignment of the lights is incorrect.

Where drivers beam aim controls are fitted the beam aim should be tested without altering the control setting except where this would result in failure for beam aim being too low. In such cases the beam aim should be re-checked with the control set at its highest position.

The MOT station have correctly failed the car on the alignment being too high because they are not permitted to adjust the beam down during the test, only upwards.

 

[theone8181]

But if you were carrying a heavy load surely you would need to lower the headlight yet in this case the headlights were too high?

You've just answered your own question. Not sure if cars headlights are ever too low?

 

[markomania]

Do they get more money if they fail and retest? I know not from the owner but can't see why else they would do this as it's nonsense to fail it for an item they are aware of in some of the cases above and then pass it on a restest?

I've always wondered this. A couple of my mates have had tests failed then passed and weren't even told about it, just charged for the one mot

 

[kindai]

Could it be to claim back expenses by theoretically having a guy "re do the whole test" free.

 

[jsmoke]

You've just answered your own question. Not sure if cars headlights are ever too low?

Yes but,why would the switch allow you to raise the angle of the head lights in the first place, why not make a switch that only allowed the lights to go down?

 

[cheesyboy]

Fail Mot > deal with issues arising > pass Mot

Or

Deal with noted issues > fail Mot > deal with issues arising > pass Mot

Suspect that's why most garages do what they did with OP's car.

 

[ElliorR]

If a garage constantly fixed items during the test then passed everything VOSA would be asking questions. I expect they use the data gathered from failures like yours for statistical analysis.

 

[Kenai]

Yes but,why would the switch allow you to raise the angle of the head lights in the first place, why not make a switch that only allowed the lights to go down?

It does.

In the highest position, the lights should be at the correct level in a normally loaded car. His were too high and failed the test.

Rather than correctly adjust them, the tester has just knocked the switch down a notch instead, which should only be done to compensate for a heavy load / trailer.

 

[jsmoke]

So why were they too high did he have a load in the boot?