Summary changes are listed here:
amendments
Another one to get us will be the fact the a missing cat is a fail item.
There’s some debate whether this is an issue if you have swapped driver’s seat rails for fixed ones - Seats are now covered in sub-section �A� and there are a couple of additional checks to be made. Firstly, it will be necessary to check that the driver�s seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism can be secured in the selected positions. There is no requirement to check all, or even several possible positions, just that the two or three selected secure the seat as intended. On electrically operated mechanisms, simply that the motor moves the seat back and forth
will suffice.
Changed your steering wheel on one originally with airbags - Checks of airbags will apply to all airbags fitted as original equipment, regardless of their location, and a vehicle will fail if any airbag is obviously missing or defective.
Before the days of MOT Computerisation, many testers incorrectly failed steering and suspension ball joints if the dust cover was split or missing. Well now they will be able to correctly fail them as the Directive requires that these are now included in the test; therefore if a ball joint dust cover is missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc. it will be a Reason for Rejection (RfR).
Rear drive shafts, where they form part of the suspension, were already testable items, but as a result of the Directive there are now some additional checks. Drive shaft support bearings, where fitted, must now be checked for excessive wear; additionally, drive shaft coupling gaiters missing, or in such a condition that they no longer prevent the ingress of dirt, also become Reasons for Rejection.
As for rear drive shafts that form part of the suspension, front drive shaft support bearings and inner coupling gaiters also become testable. The RfR wording for gaiters has also been changed to cover all aspects of the gaiter failing to prevent the ingress of dirt.
Front to rear propshafts still remain outside the scope of the test.
Smoked lens covered may now fail - Checking that lamps are in good condition is a familiar part of the test, but a new Reason for Rejection (RfR) has been added in respect to the lamps being visible from a reasonable distance. �Products on the lens or light source� is now an RfR as well the previous �excessive damage or deterioration�. This new RfR also applies to the checks of all other lamps.
All visible electrical wiring must not be in such a condition that it is insecure, inadequately supported or likely to cause a short. Any bare wiring exposed due to damaged insulation will therefore be rejected.
If you tow - Trailer electrical sockets, where fitted, will need to be secure and not damaged to the extent that the plug could not be securely connected. An additional check of the connectivity of the wiring will apply to 13-pin trailer sockets.
This connectivity check will require an approved device to be plugged into the socket while the position lamps, stop lamps, rear fog lamp and direction indicators are operated. The device will show whether or not each system is wired as per the requirements and clearly any non-compliance will result a failure.
