Faulty airbag - MOT fail?

[Deluded]

This missus' MOT is coming up soon on her Fiat Stilo.

Everytime you start the car, a warning comes up on the dash saying that the airbag system is faulty and the light on the dash illuminates too. I've researched the common causes of this and have tried to rectify the problem but to no avail. Short of taking the car to a dealer to be plugged in (£££) and fixed (££££££), It probably wont be fixed for MOT.

I've seen a few places on other forums (whilst researching) saying that an airbag failure is not an MOT failure, but I've been told in the past that it is.

So, is it or not? I need a conclusive answer

[Jimmyarm]

It's not a tested item so, no its not going to fail for the airbag light being on

[Athlon]

As above but the test is changing to include SRS faults as fails as well as a few other things.

[PHmember]

Not a failure, I've had 2 MOT's passed with an airbag warning light on.

Although IIRC it might be an MOT failure in the near future - can anybody clear that one up, or did I just imagine it?

[cheadle hulme]

Becomes a testable item from November 2011 I believe. I'm getting the Felicia MOT'd just before so I can get another 12 months out of it.

[Deluded]

Cheers!

Worth getting it MOTed again in Nov regardless of how long is left then!

[joebongo]

Beginning of Nov or end? A key point in choosing my next MOT as I have a seat sensor out which defaults (safely) to deploy as if someone was in the passenger seat. Never seen any point in paying to fix because if I was in an accident where the airbags went off then the car is deffo a write off, and saving some cash by not deploying the passenger airbags is pointless.

[jagracer]

joebongo said:

Beginning of Nov or end? A key point in choosing my next MOT as I have a seat sensor out which defaults (safely) to deploy as if someone was in the passenger seat. Never seen any point in paying to fix because if I was in an accident where the airbags went off then the car is deffo a write off, and saving some cash by not deploying the passenger airbags is pointless.

I think it's sometime in January 2012 and no definite news on what extras will be included apart from testing of tow hook electrics for which we have to buy new test equipment, I also think all dash board warnings will be included. I will probably know more after next week when we go to the annual MOT testers ball.

[mcford]

jagracer said:

I think it's sometime in January 2012 and no definite news on what extras will be included apart from testing of tow hook electrics for which we have to buy new test equipment, I also think all dash board warnings will be included. I will probably know more after next week when we go to the annual MOT testers ball.

Be prepared, I went to one the other week.

From 1st January 2012, the new test items will be:

Warning lights for the engine, airbags, main beam, electronic stability, brake fluid, electronic parking brake, tyre pressure monitoring.

Light switches to check that front and rear work at the same time.

Headlamp adjuster presence.

Steering lock operation.

Seatbelt safety devices, no mechanical flags have been triggered to indicate a deployed seatbelt pretensioner.

HID headlamps have washers and self levelling.

Visible wiring security and condition.

Battery security.

Engine mountings and the structure to which they are attached.

Power steering fluid, where the level can be seen without removing the reservoir cap.

Rear doors open from the outside.

Driveshaft gaitors, will include inner gaitors on front wheel drive, may even include a non steered axle.

Ball joint dust cover condition.

Electrical testing of 13 pin tow bar sockets.

Leak detection test for LPG systems.

Fuel pipe condition.

Missing anti pollution equipment, catalyst or DPF.

There will be a new section introduced for inappropriate repairs or modifications, which may include things like stretched tyres, inappropriately low suspension.

From 1st September 2013 for cars registered after 24th July 2010,brake performance requirements will change from 25% on a steered axle to 30% on all axles for imbalance, from 50% to 58% for service brake efficiency.

[maniac0796]

At the moment, it's not a faliure and at most will be recorded as an advisory

[EDLT]

mcford said:

jagracer said:

I think it's sometime in January 2012 and no definite news on what extras will be included apart from testing of tow hook electrics for which we have to buy new test equipment, I also think all dash board warnings will be included. I will probably know more after next week when we go to the annual MOT testers ball.

Be prepared, I went to one the other week.

From 1st January 2012, the new test items will be:

Warning lights for the engine, airbags, main beam, electronic stability, brake fluid, electronic parking brake, tyre pressure monitoring.

Light switches to check that front and rear work at the same time.

Headlamp adjuster presence.

Steering lock operation.

Seatbelt safety devices, no mechanical flags have been triggered to indicate a deployed seatbelt pretensioner.

HID headlamps have washers and self levelling.

Visible wiring security and condition.

Battery security.

Engine mountings and the structure to which they are attached.

Power steering fluid, where the level can be seen without removing the reservoir cap.

Rear doors open from the outside.

Driveshaft gaitors, will include inner gaitors on front wheel drive, may even include a non steered axle.

Ball joint dust cover condition.

Electrical testing of 13 pin tow bar sockets.

Leak detection test for LPG systems.

Fuel pipe condition.

Missing anti pollution equipment, catalyst or DPF.

There will be a new section introduced for inappropriate repairs or modifications, which may include things like stretched tyres, inappropriately low suspension.

From 1st September 2013 for cars registered after 24th July 2010,brake performance requirements will change from 25% on a steered axle to 30% on all axles for imbalance, from 50% to 58% for service brake efficiency.

Some of those are tested already afaik, the guy who did all the MOTs for a garage I worked at would fail insecure batteries, being too low to get on the ramp and wiring condition.

Going to be lots of written off cars if the air-bag light is an MOT failure.

[MDT]

mcford said:

Leak detection test for LPG systems.

do they use a match or a lighter

[carmonk]

Last MOT was failed for a rear seatbelt buckle that wouldn't engage. Now whilst I'm all for MOTs it's a bit much to have the car fail when nobody in the entire lifetime of the car has ever sat in the back, and if they did they'd say, oh, the seatbelt doesn't engage, and move to one of the other two rear seats. IMO that shouldn't be part of the MOT unless it's the driver's belt that doesn't work or the belt actually engages but is unsafe.

[jagracer]

mcford said:

Be prepared, I went to one the other week.

Lots of stuff about the MOT seminar

I knew about the 13 pin socket from the special notice the other week, it looks like the other stuff wont take too much more time to go through, just a lot more unhappy customers. I'd better sort the seatbelt pre-tensioners out on one of my cars by next year then, Or MOT it on December 31st.

[sheldo]

what about a leaky washer fluid bottle as mines leaking i think (can't really see it its hidden away) still works just a very slow leak

[jagracer]

carmonk said:

Last MOT was failed for a rear seatbelt buckle that wouldn't engage. Now whilst I'm all for MOTs it's a bit much to have the car fail when nobody in the entire lifetime of the car has ever sat in the back, and if they did they'd say, oh, the seatbelt doesn't engage, and move to one of the other two rear seats. IMO that shouldn't be part of the MOT unless it's the driver's belt that doesn't work or the belt actually engages but is unsafe.

Did he plug it into the correct socket as the middle belt is sometimes different to the two outside ones.

[Rich_W]

mcford said:

There will be a new section introduced for inappropriate repairs or modifications, which may include things like stretched tyres, inappropriately low suspension.

Great. I can fail any car with stupid bodykits or carbon fibre vinyl wrap. About as inappropriate as you can get. If you get into more opinion you'll get a lot more fails. As you know they really want you to Pass and advise more than fail.

I'd wait until they announce this. The list above seems like a list of "maybes" rather than definetes.

[Acheron]

Deluded said:

This missus' MOT is coming up soon on her Fiat Stilo.

Everytime you start the car, a warning comes up on the dash saying that the airbag system is faulty and the light on the dash illuminates too. I've researched the common causes of this and have tried to rectify the problem but to no avail. Short of taking the car to a dealer to be plugged in (£££) and fixed (££££££), It probably wont be fixed for MOT.

I've seen a few places on other forums (whilst researching) saying that an airbag failure is not an MOT failure, but I've been told in the past that it is.

So, is it or not? I need a conclusive answer

Wiring loom underneath the front pass seat.

[Chiswickboy]

carmonk said:

Last MOT was failed for a rear seatbelt buckle that wouldn't engage. Now whilst I'm all for MOTs it's a bit much to have the car fail when nobody in the entire lifetime of the car has ever sat in the back, and if they did they'd say, oh, the seatbelt doesn't engage, and move to one of the other two rear seats. IMO that shouldn't be part of the MOT unless it's the driver's belt that doesn't work or the belt actually engages but is unsafe.

While I agree that the annual MOT is a PITA and it looks as if the new requirements are simply somebody at VOSA justifying their salary, I don't think the idea that because something doesn't work the tester can pass it if you say you don't use it.

"It's a fail because your rear lights don't work".

"But I never drive at night".

"Oh! O.K. I'll issue a pass".

Don't think this is going to happen, somehow.

[jagracer]

Chiswickboy said:

While I agree that the annual MOT is a PITA and it looks as if the new requirements are simply somebody at VOSA justifying their salary, I don't think the idea that because something doesn't work the tester can pass it if you say you don't use it.

"It's a fail because your rear lights don't work".

"But I never drive at night".

"Oh! O.K. I'll issue a pass".

Don't think this is going to happen, somehow.

It's somebody in Brussels justifying their salary and the UK towing the line, if you never drive at night remove your lights and I'll issue a pass.