Again, not sure I follow. If the car is empty, surely you set the adjuster to the ‘empty’ setting?
Why would you set the adjuster to be set to as if the car was full, when it’s not?
Anyway, it’s inconsequential at this stage… Was never really worried about these advisories, mainly that they seemed odd…
Just be grateful you have a manual adjuster. Mine is automatic and self-levels every time the car is started. Apart from the time it didn’t and I needed a whole new headlamp assembly because ‘it’s an MoT fail, mate’.
Because the headlamp aim is too high, that’s what the MOT advisory is telling you.
If the car is empty the adjuster should be set to zero, as the car is loaded turn the adjuster through 1, 2, 3 etc so as not to dazzle other road users.
Test vs Check. At the MOT test the lights are tested to make sure they comply with various regulations and Laws. During a service the lights are checked to make sure they work. Two different things.
As the responsible car owner and driver we know you are what you should do from here is set the adjuster to zero, test the headlamp dipped beam aim and adjust as necessary.
Yup, absolutely.
This thread had been enlightening
Just to chip in with MOT fuckery I’ve recently had with Halfords.
Test 1. Failed on a gouged tyre sidewall & yellowed headlights. Fair enough.
Took the car back home, had the headlights polished. Had a second wheel with tyre, put it on. Waited 4 days for a retest.
Test 2. One of the headlight bulbs was a little on the squiff. Simply not seated straight in the holder. Refused to let me just fix it there and then. Tyre failed because it was the wrong way round on the wheel.
Told if I came back with it on the other side of the car, then it’d be fine.
Took it back home. Reseated the bulb (took less than 2 minutes). Swapped second tyre for a third tyre that wasn’t directional. Waited another 3 days for a retest.
Test 3. Tyre was a 195 instead of a 185, failed the test. Didn’t bother checking the headlights. Previous tyre was also a 195, so if I had swapped it over as advised then it still would’ve failed.
Test 4 will be at an independent mechanic who doesn’t piss me around trying to get me to come back as often as possible.
This thread is getting me worried, I’ve got two bikes and a car mot due this month
Surely it’s a foregone conclusion that they’ll fail?
I think ‘Halfords’ is the key word here…
Halfords do MOTs???
For what it’s worth in the past I always used to first take my car to to JustMots (now motest I think)… They only did MOTs and very minor work so you kinda knew you’d get an honest opinion. I think they now do some basic servicing.
Then I would take car to different place for service and would get any issues addressed (only once had issues with some bulbs now working, which I forgot to check.
This time I forgot my appointment with motest so had to do it all at dealer
Kwik-Fit are no better. Took the Ford to them for a £30 MOT and it failed on
Repair immediately (major defects):
Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour Both sides (4.4.3 (a))
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))
Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer’s specified limit (8.2.2.2 (a))
Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):
Exhausts rear box is in poor condition
Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted Inner rim (5.2.2 (c) (i))
Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour but not likely to obscure the vision of other road users On limit for MOT test (8.2.2.2 (c))
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Inner & outer shoulders very low/Bald (5.2.3 (e))
Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Inner & outer shoulders very low/Bald (5.2.3 (e))
ALL 4 Tyres perished/splitting in tread area
Kwik-Fit not interested in flushing the fuel/exhaust system so booked in to local garage for fuel/exhaust system flush, replacement ball joint dust covers and £45 MOT after I had replaced the indicator bulbs, reshaped the wheel rim with a ball pein hammer and put a gauge on the tyres. Dropped the car off and the garage rang within the hour and said its passed come and collect which was odd because the fuel /exhaust flush takes an hour, turns out it passed emissions without the flush! The only pre MOT work they did was to glue repair the ball joint dust covers.
Those tyres covered another 5,000 miles before I replaced them when the treads were to <2 mm
