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New MOT May 18

smokingman

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Accord Tourer 2008/9
Major changes to the MOT test on 20th of May 2018
Some of you may have already heard that there are big changes coming to the MOT test this May. Here are just a few of the biggest changes that are most likely to affect you. Please take these with a pinch of salt as nothing will be finalised until the end of April and will probably still be subject to change after that date. Remember it will take your MOT tester time to get up to speed with these too!
So...

Advisories are being replaced with minor fails. These are all pre written & approved by DVSA. You will still get a pass but they will be noted on your test certificate. Manual advisories are still being worked out but may disappear completely.
Those of you who have changed your standard headlight bulbs for HID's will now get a major fail even if the aim is correct. It has always been an offence to fit HID bulbs to halogen headlamps so the MOT is now in line with that.
Reverse lights are now part of the MOT for any car registered from 1st September 2009 (59 plate onwards). Daytime running lamps (DRL's) & front fog lamps must work on vehicles registered from March 2018 (18 plate onwards).
Engine Management Light is now a major fail. It must come on with the ignition and then turn off when the engine is started.
Brake pad warning lights are a major fail
Handbrake with excessive travel is now a major fail. Before it would only a fail if there was no reserve travel.
Contaminated (dirty) brake fluid is a major fail. Not sure how that will work as the MOT tester isn't allowed to remove the fluid cap.
Oil leaks (engine, gearbox etc.) can be a major failure if they are deemed large enough.
It seems they have removed the failure for tyres not being fitted according to sidewall instructions. Inner/outer or rotation incorrect.
Any modifications/removal to emissions related devices, this includes DPF'S and EGR's is now a major fail.
Where a DPF canister has clearly been cut open and re-welded, it will now fail.
A vehicle fitted with a DPF that emits any kind of visible smoke during the metered test will now fail
Emissions limits for diesels registered on or after 1st of January 2014 have been reduced. All diesels will now need to pass the limit that was set by the manufacturer when the car was new. This can be found on the VIN plate. For example the current limit for your diesel car may be 1.50. That could change to as low as 0.30 with the new rules.
These are just some of the bigger changes to the MOT test the average motorist is likely to be affected by. There are dozens, perhaps even over 100 changes to the actual MOT test and to the way testers record tests on the MOT computer. Please remember these are all subject to change in the coming months and remember spare a thought for your MOT tester before you say...
"Well it passed like that last year!"
Source - https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...nspection-manual-and-in-service-emission-data
 
smokingman said:
A vehicle fitted with a DPF that emits any kind of visible smoke during the metered test will now fail.
What is the likelihood of visible smoke emission with the DPF removed ?
 
Who knows!!!!!

last November had my DPF removed and sent away to be cleaned after two failed regens by Honda Lincoln, so far no DPF light. MOT in March or April just before the change.
 
I often see a puff of smoke from diesels in front of me if they're pulling away from a standstill or if the driver accelerates.
 
In practical terms that suggested change is no different to the revised regs that came into force in Feb 2014 regarding DPF tampering. They're already failing if they see evidence of exhaust tampering. As for smoke, if the job is done right the difference is negligible.
 
Wow, that's some quite significant changes. Thanks for posting @smokingman

As I said in another recent thread, my father bought a Civic some time ago which, unknown to him, has already had its DPF removed at some time (I guess because it had failed). At its last service his garage explained to him that it was likely to fail its next MOT because of the new equipment they will need to use to check that the particulate emmisions show that a DPF is fitted and working correctly. So he is now looking into how to restore the DPF to its original state, which could cost a faiur bit!

Even worse, the garage did also hint to him that anyone failing the mot on diesel particulate emmisions may also end up facing a heavy fine for using an illegaly modified car!!!
 
smokingman said:
Hi @Stoobsy. maybe have a look here for a replacement DPF http://www.cats2u.co.uk/Catalytic-Converters/HONDA+ACCORD+2.2+Diesel+Diesel+Particulate+Filter this seems the cheapest i could find even my local parts dealer was £500. OEM (AKA Honda approx £1100)
Thanks, I've forwarded on that link to him to discuss with his garage.

While that's not a bad price if he had a failed DPF, God only knows what else is going to need repairing/fixing/restoring to get the whole DPF system working again as intended (obviously it's had the ECU map and the old DPF hacked about) and I'm not sure about what's happened to the ***ociated sensors?

Why was it ever legal to remove the DPF? Loads of garages openly advertise this service, how come they get away with it when it's illegal to use the car on the road afterwards?
 
if this story is true it would be interesting to see some pics of the engine bay and exactly what the mot tester saw as part of his inspection that led him to determine the DPF was removed.

If it's a 1.6 civic then chances are the ecu wasn't mapped, and that's because there are only a handful of tuners with the right tools skills to flash their Bosch ecu's. They need special micro clamps to grip one of the legs of the microprocessor which are less than 1mm apart and not visible to be able to flash it.

I've seen a few come to me now which are in this scenario and customer has been told the ecu is correctly flashed and it obviously hasn't been.

As with anything, everyone has their own way of completing a job. In practical terms nothing new has actually been introduced to the mot test, no cameras or special sensors to detect removal. It's a visual test and changed tolerances on the smoke test.
 
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