Vehicle Lighting

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by blackx

Its a legal requirement to have all bulbs working and the vehicle would fail an MOT or roadside inspection....

thank you very much for informing me officer, I'll attend to it right away.......

MOT in 4 weeks - that's when it'll be fixed.

Believe me, if it was as easy as taking the headlight out it would have been done.

Do a search on Renault's Megane. For DIY light bulb changes they have to take the wheel off.... the manual has it as refer to dealer.

VW Passat also has light bulb changes as "refer to dealer"

Maybe it should be a legal requirement for manufacturers that all bulbs can be replaced at the roadside using only the supplied toolkit?

[touringlegend]

I swear that one days cars will come as sealed units and only the dealers will have some fancy pants funny shaped tool to access any components.

Sir, that'll be £42.50 + VAT for that bulb please.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

thank you very much for informing me officer, I'll attend to it right away.......

MOT in 4 weeks - that's when it'll be fixed.

Believe me, if it was as easy as taking the headlight out it would have been done.

Do a search on Renault's Megane. For DIY light bulb changes they have to take the wheel off.... the manual has it as refer to dealer.

VW Passat also has light bulb changes as "refer to dealer"

Maybe it should be a legal requirement for manufacturers that all bulbs can be replaced at the roadside using only the supplied toolkit?

I MOT'd a Skoda a few weeks ago and a side light bulb (IIRC) had blown. To change it it's a take it to the dealers job as the headlight has to come out. After faffing around for more than 15 minutes trying to find out how it was removed one of the other mechanics came over, lifted a clip up on one side, moved a clip over on the other, and the headlight just slid out. Ho Hum.

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by falcemob

Ho Hum.

Sidcup innit for the Falces?
D'ya want to MOT my Seat TDi? needs a 60K service too (cam belt change I believe) mebbe a tyre or two


and

try to change a sidelight bulb without disassembling the front end
at the end of the month?

I'll bring donuts

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

Sidcup innit for the Falces?
D'ya want to MOT my Seat TDi? needs a 60K service too (cam belt change I believe) mebbe a tyre or two


and

try to change a sidelight bulb without disassembling the front end
at the end of the month?

I'll bring donuts

Hmmm, I think you have to remove the bumper and wing to do a side light bulb on them

[TFHarv]

Had to replace an offside sidelight on a mitsubishi space wagon >< take out the battery, fiddle with the connection for 15 mins and oh look it is replaceable.

You can't get a manual for them either so it had to stay with the bulb stuck on my desk for 5-6 weeks till I plucked up courage to start dismantling parts of the car.

Damn thing is only a tiny halogen type bulb too clips into place an you imagine them choosing that as a compulsory pit stop change in a race - would put 24hr drives to the shame

[bella]

Originally Posted by blackx

Its a legal requirement to have all bulbs working and the vehicle would fail an MOT or roadside inspection....

not exactly true! as i say, reverse light bulbs don't have to function for an mot. all headlights and so on, yeah. but not a reverse light. ask ANY mot technician to go through the mot process, and you'll find it's not a requirement.

[blackx]

Originally Posted by bella

not exactly true! as i say, reverse light bulbs don't have to function for an mot. all headlights and so on, yeah. but not a reverse light. ask ANY mot technician to go through the mot process, and you'll find it's not a requirement.

I prepare vehicles for VOSA MOT tests every night of the wek and I can tell you if I sent one to the Goods Vehicle Testing Station with inoperative reverse lights it would fail under the construction and use regulations...

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by bella

not exactly true! as i say, reverse light bulbs don't have to function for an mot. all headlights and so on, yeah. but not a reverse light. ask ANY mot technician to go through the mot process, and you'll find it's not a requirement.

I was going to say you are being pedantic there but...

Originally Posted by blackx

I prepare vehicles for VOSA MOT tests every night of the wek and I can tell you if I sent one to the Goods Vehicle Testing Station with inoperative reverse lights it would fail under the construction and use regulations...

HGV MOT is not the same as a class 4 car MOT.

[blackx]

Originally Posted by falcemob

HGV MOT is not the same as a class 4 car MOT.

Construction and use regulations are the same across the board...

If its fitted it has to work...

[bella]

but it's not tested directly, and it's not even a noteworthy thing you might want to get fixed if it doesn't work. it is not a requirement of the mot.

my car may be a bit of a tank, but it's certainly not an hgv

they had to adjust one of the headlights mind, they're obviously part of the test..

[TFHarv]

"My reversing lights are not working"

Not even checked in the MOT test - the tester might get run over while looking!

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by blackx

Construction and use regulations are the same across the board...

If its fitted it has to work...

Not for an MOT it doesn't, same as a spare wheel can be bald and not fail an MOT.

[blackx]

I guess my company pay me 30K a year for not knowing what I'm doing then

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by blackx

I guess my company pay me 30K a year for not knowing what I'm doing then

If so it's bad money.

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by blackx

I guess my company pay me 30K a year for not knowing what I'm doing then

...as is so often the case. However, on this occasion I think you do know what you're doing, at least with trucks. However, if you were to prepare ordinary cars for MOT then you would know that reversing lights are not currently tested. Last MOT I watched was our Hurricane. The reversing lights on that are operated by an unmarked toggle switch (With a tell-tale light) and the tester didn't switch them on and yes it passed.

[Bluebottle]

http://www.mottest.net/mot/12-checks...-the-mot-test/

It's possible a roadside inspection could be a different matter however since reversing lights are a C&U requirement.

[surrealillusion]

i've seen everything i think..

people with no lights

cars with dodgy electrics, so their indicators flash on/off in sequence with the brake lights when they use the brake and indicator.

seen one car with no working brake lights

seen cars with only one headlight working (how can you not tell?)

some people are beyond belief when it comes to lights...no lights on in pouring rain and reduced visibility, full beam headlights on coming the other way and so blinding me, no full beam on when driving down an unlit country lane..

the list is endless...

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by surrealillusion

cars with dodgy electrics, so their indicators flash on/off in sequence with the brake lights when they use the brake and indicator...

Had this on a mk 4 Escort, quite a common problem but easily fixed- it's just a case of cleaning corroded contacts on the connector on the back of the lights- the fault is caosed by a dodgy earth contact. I fixed it von mine by cutting off the connector and soldering the wires onto the light block.

[Bluebottle]

here's a thought- When I learned to drive (Passed test in 1985) I don't think my instructor ever told me about full beam and when to use it or not use it. I only knew because my Dad told me- how many people are there on the road who have never been taught about how to use their lights??

[touringlegend]

I sometimes wonder that too, I hate that blinding effect of someone in your mirrors with their full beam on.

Not as if that big blue light on their dash gives anything away though!

[bella]

one of the most dangerous people i've ever been in a car with was a friends mum. her driving was fine, but the fact she *put* main beam on as soon as she hit the motorway filled me with utter fear...

it's a fair point though. you'd like to think it's common sense, but clearly not.

[Circuitmarshal]

It's getting stupid now!!
If you drive on the A27 Westbound around Chichester around 1700 watch out for a tatty Black Ford Focus.
Would you believe that is the car that started this thread and I saw it again this evening, still without lights.
Trouble is I was not close enough to get the reg number.
Someone must get close enough when it parks to tell the driver surely?

[Ex_MAD_O]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

how many people are there on the road who have never been taught about how to use their lights??

Most of them, by what I see every day.

[Asp]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

here's a thought- When I learned to drive (Passed test in 1985) I don't think my instructor ever told me about full beam and when to use it or not use it. I only knew because my Dad told me- how many people are there on the road who have never been taught about how to use their lights??

I learnt with my instructor - as I learnt in winter so had most of lessons in the dark.
I suppose though if you learn during the summer and never go out at night, why should you know? (another argument for a two-tier driving test to do some night driving before getting a full licence)