MOT and advisory notes

[AledJ]

My car has its MOT in a few weeks time, so I dug out the last MOT certificate yesterday. Now looking at it there are two additional bits of paper. The first is in red and has 'refusal of an MOT Test Certificate' that was for an offside rear registration lamp. I then also have a yellow bit of paper which is an advisory notice about the needing a new back number plate.

I'm confused firstly with the red refusal page! I mean I was given an MOT certificate for the car, so does this mean if that light is not fixed it will fail this time?

Ans as for the yellow advisory note, does that need to be sorted before the MOT??

[GheeTsar]

Probably what happened is that the car was tested, found to have the failing light and therefore failed the MOT, then the garage undertook the work to replace the light (you could check the invoice) so that it would then pass.

Advisory notes are just that - advisory, not mandatory. However if it was looking like the rear number plate was about to let go and it has deteriorated since you might wish to replace it anyway. They're not expensive.

[XA04]

How long have you had it for? If you've not MOT'd it yourself yet then the previous seller may have just gave you the old refusal in the paperwork.. but obviously you have your pass certificate too so it's kinda proof that the work has been carried out..

[AledJ]

I owned the car when it has its last MOT the red and yellow papers were attached to the MOT certificate.

I can't find any record of them replacing that back lamp, so will call them as I need to book the MOT anyway.

Another thing I need to know is will a small chip on the windscreen mean a fail?

[Flash477]

Well the MOT refusal just means that it failed once and they had to retest - if it was something really simple the garage may of done it for free and then retested the failure to issue you the certificate.

They just have to give you both of them.

Another thing I need to know is will a small chip on the windscreen mean a fail?

It depends if it would affect the drivers vision - and how small is small? a few mm will be fine

It would also be worth getting it fixed (usually covered by insurance with no affect on your no claims) and will stop it from turning into something more serious

[AledJ]

Well the MOT refusal just means that it failed once and they had to retest - if it was something really simple the garage may of done it for free and then retested the failure to issue you the certificate.

They just have to give you both of them.



It depends if it would affect the drivers vision - and how small is small? a few mm will be fine

It would also be worth getting it fixed (usually covered by insurance with no affect on your no claims) and will stop it from turning into something more serious

I'll check the rear lamps just in case.

As for the windscreen its only a few mm and is on the passenger lower side of the screen. I did go to Auto Rip-off ....... sorry Auto Glass, but was told it can't be repaired as the chip has been repaired previously. I will get a new windscreen when the next lot of pay comes in. I'm on third part fire and theft so no cover for a windscreen sadly

[Flash477]

Ah, well if it is the passengers side then no, it won't affect it.

It always pays to check your lights and that your windscreen wipers are in good condition (only front windscreen wipers are manditory) - easiest things to check, but quite often the ones that cause a fail

[mycarsavw]

If the chip is in the sweep of the driver side wiper, it'll depend on the size - see here - as yours is on the passenger side, as above, it's fine.

[AledJ]

Thanks for your help guys

[GAteKeeper]

I had a 2" diameter circular crack in my 307 for 3years that when through 2MOTs without issues because it was just above the swept area (behind the rear view mirror). Scared the crap out of me when it happened while driving on the M6 near birmingham.

Sold the car on (PX) with it still there, never grew beyond the initial size

GK

[Behemoth]

Every time I take my car for its MOT I get an advisory for the same problem. The drivers side wing indicator is loose, gets an advisory for that every time. It was like it when I got the car 3 years ago and hasn't fallen off so I don't see it as being a big problem.

One of these days though it will either come off or it will be picked up by an MOT tester who is working to rule and fails it on only that !