Failed MOT due to OS headlight too high.

[BMCWP]

Well that was a new one. Nothing else wrong but now I have a fail - I hate our system over here in NI as I have had to pay £30 for a re-test that I can't get until the 2nd week in July - my question is, I had the lights checked and they were fine, however in between that and the test, somebody managed to unplug my Battery tender and the cars Battery went completely flat. When I got it charged again everything seemed to reset and I was wondering is it possible the headlight did as well? And if so is there any procedure to get it to go back to where it was or is it a matter of somehow getting at the adjustment screws? 

 

[ambermarine]

On 6/21/2024 at 11:41 PM, BMCWP said:

Well that was a new one. Nothing else wrong but now I have a fail - I hate our system over here in NI as I have had to pay £30 for a re-test that I can't get until the 2nd week in July - my question is, I had the lights checked and they were fine, however in between that and the test, somebody managed to unplug my battery tender and the cars battery went completely flat. When I got it charged again everything seemed to reset and I was wondering is it possible the headlight did as well? And if so is there any procedure to get it to go back to where it was or is it a matter of somehow getting at the adjustment screws? 

 

The headlight self leveling mechanism is built into the body of the headlight and takes its instructions from the self levelling actuator mounted to the chassis which is connected to the suspension via a short arm check if that arm is intact and also the actuator movement. It is possible to check it by jacking up the front of the car and starting the engine with the headlights on .

[BMCWP]

It was (As I suspected) just out of adjustment after the Battery reset - 20 seconds sorted it and its been fine ever since. Managed to get the retest the other day and as it was just for the headlight that took 5 minutes (minus the 1 hour round trip to the MOT place and back again) still annoyed that something so simple could not be sorted on site, but that's Northern Irelands archaic MOT system for you - a few years back I would have been allowed to sit in the car and would have been able to fix that on the spot, but now they make you wait outside while they test it and then simply leave the fail/pass certificate on the seat and walk away. Money for old rope as they say. 

[Malc1]

That’s unfortunate ……. My small Indy garage I use also does the MOT itself and they’ve always been able to “ fine tune “ any potential failures and serious Advusories …….. thankfully 

But the customer still isn’t allowed on the “ operating deck “ ……. It’s the liability insurance I guess 

good yours is now sorted 👍

Malc 

[BMCWP]

we used to go through up until covid then they stopped and never put it back again. The chap doing the test has some discretion, as in previous tests we would have been allowed to get something as small as that fixed on the day and re-present the car but with the computer system its an automatic fail. Ridiculous when you look back at the previous history and can't even find an advisory! Its still very hard to get a test with waiting lists running in months not weeks and I had to wait 2 weeks for a re-test as well. the sooner they ditch it and follow the system over in the rest of the UK the better. 

[GMB]

Our local MOT garage in France had a similar problem with the headlight height setting. He just reset it correctly and re-checked and all was fine. No charge. lovely chap, very helpful.   Point of the story -  In France you need to know who your friends are and they will look after you. I could write a book but no-one would read it. One has to go through a process of introductions and acceptance and then things start working.  Weird but very true. Expats take note.

[Malc1]

Building relationships in all fields of life is good …….. I’ve always been on-side with my Indy mechanics and them with their MOT Testers …….. and now my Indy does his own MOTs and that’s best all round

It’s life, not just in France but personalities the world over I think !
Malc