Rear windscreen wiper and MOT

[sandspider]

Hi folks

Am I right in thinking that the rear windscreen wiper not working is not an MOT failure? Government guidance says that the windscreen wipers not working is a failure, but doesn't mention the back wiper.

Mine has just stopped working and my MOT is next week! I don't want them to replace the motor as it's pricey, and I think I can fix it, given time...

[TIGHTCHOKE]

I believe it falls in with all the little extras, if fitted they must work to pass the MoT Test and gain the paperwork.

[Stonepark]

Fit a blanking plate in meantime to pass mot

[sandspider]

Darn, I was hoping it wasn't tested. A bit of googling suggests it's not, unless the requirements have changed recently?

https://www.thewindscreenco.co.uk/help-advice/mot-windscreen-rules-and-regulations-for-cars/#will-windscreen-wipers-fail-mot

This is from march 2021.

Any MOT testers on here?

I think the faff to fit a blanking plate would be almost as bad as stripping the motor!

[old'un]

41 minutes ago, sandspider said:

Darn, I was hoping it wasn't tested. A bit of googling suggests it's not, unless the requirements have changed recently?

https://www.thewindscreenco.co.uk/help-advice/mot-windscreen-rules-and-regulations-for-cars/#will-windscreen-wipers-fail-mot

This is from march 2021.

Any MOT testers on here?

I think the faff to fit a blanking plate would be almost as bad as stripping the motor!

why not phone your local MOT garage and ask them?

[udderlyoffroad]

1 hour ago, old'un said:

why not phone your local MOT garage and ask them?

Why not have a read of the MOT manual? It’s on the gov.uk website somewhere in searchable pdf format

[old'un]

49 minutes ago, udderlyoffroad said:

Why not have a read of the MOT manual? It’s on the gov.uk website somewhere in searchable pdf format

Which would be the quickest, MOT manual or phone.

[Revo]

Ask your local mot test station .but if you look on net it says it’s not included in mot 

[hodge911]

I haven't tested for a while but the rear wiper not Inc in test as are the front fog lights they not Inc either.

[mel b3]

1 hour ago, hodge911 said:

I haven't tested for a while but the rear wiper not Inc in test as are the front fog lights they not Inc either.

Snap . It's been a while since I was a mot tester ,but rear wipers were never part of the test.

If you're not feeling confident , just call the testing station that you use , and ask them .

[hodge911]

I'll give my mate who's a up to date tester a message and let you know

[hodge911]

Right just rang my mate who's still an up to date tester and no it doesn't come into the test .

[sandspider]

Many thanks Hodge, that's good to know. Couldn't ring garage till Monday and gov site doesn't differentiate between front and rear windscreens, but sounds like it'll be ok.

Thanks all.

[hodge911]

20 minutes ago, sandspider said:

Many thanks Hodge, that's good to know. Couldn't ring garage till Monday and gov site doesn't differentiate between front and rear windscreens, but sounds like it'll be ok.

Thanks all.

Nee probs mate . It's deffo ok for it not to be working . 

If u have a high level brake light on top make sure all the sections are working . If not disconnect it .

It's a fail for non illuminated sections but if disconnected it's a pass

[sandspider]

👍

[Jim Neal]

Mine wipes but doesn't squirt, rear wiper not a problem for the MOT so relax

[mossy835]

mine passed ok,wipe but not squirt.

[udderlyoffroad]

19 hours ago, old'un said:

Which would be the quickest, MOT manual or phone.

MOT manual.

And you don’t waste someone else’s time by asking them a simple yes/no question that can be looked up easily online.

[Old Boggy]

8 hours ago, mossy835 said:

mine passed ok,wipe but not squirt.

Mine too, wipw and no squirt. Also can confirm that the fog lights don`t form part of the MOT as one of mine faces skywards after driving over rape stubble and still passed.

OB

[hodge911]

5 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Also can confirm that the fog lights don`t form part of the MOT as one of mine faces skywards after driving over rape stubble and still passed

They do mate ... Only the one on the driver's side must be working . And it must be a certain distance to the right of the centre of the vehicle.

 

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Coronavirus (COVID-19)Guidance and support

1. Home
2. MOT manuals and special notices

MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles

From:

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

Published

20 May 2018

Updated:

22 March 2021, see all updates

Search this manual

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1. Contents

4. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

Headlamp, position lamps, daytime running lamps, stop lamps, indicators, hazard warning lamps, fog lamps, reversing lamps, lighting ‘tell-tales’, trailer electrical socket, electrical wiring and battery rules and inspection for car and passenger vehicle MOT tests.

 

Show all sections

4.1. Headlamps,Showthis section

4.2. Front and rear position lamps, daytime running lamps and end-outline marker lamps,Showthis section

4.3. Stop lamps,Showthis section

4.4. Direction indicators and hazard warning lamps,Showthis section

4.5. Front and rear fog lamps,Hidethis section

In this section

• 4.5.1. Presence, condition and operation
• 4.5.2. Not in use
• 4.5.3. Switching
• 4.5.4. Compliance with requirements

---

4.5.1. Presence, condition and operation

You only need to inspect:

• front fog lamps fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018
• the 1 rear fog lamp which must be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1980

 

A rear fog lamp is not needed on:

• vehicles not fitted with front and rear position lamps
• vehicles with permanently disconnected, painted over or masked front and rear position lamps
• tricycles and quadricycles

Front and rear fog lamps are permitted to operate independently of any other lamps or ignition systems.

Fog lamps must produce a steady light which is:

• white - for front fog lamps
• red - for rear fog lamps

Rear fog lamps may be combined with the rear position lamps.

A ‘light source’ means any bulb, LED or other means of emitting light.

You must assess damaged or repaired lamps for security, colour, light output and durability.

Defect	Category
(a) (i) A front or rear fog lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (ii) An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	Minor Major
(b) A lens defective: (i) which has no effect on emitted light (ii) such that emitted light is adversely affected	Minor Major
(c) A front or rear fog lamp: (i) not securely attached (ii) likely to become detached	Minor Major

4.5.2. Not in use

4.5.3. Switching

Front and rear fog lamp switches may be combined or independent switches.

The switch or switches must:

• be secure
• be able to be operated from the normal driving position
• operate the fog lamps as intended

Rear fog lamps may be combined with the rear position lamps. Front and rear fog lamps are permitted to operate independently of any other lamps or ignition systems. The function of a fog lamp must not be adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp.

Defect	Category
(a) front or rear fog lamp switch inoperative or not operating in accordance with the requirements	Major

4.5.4. Compliance with requirements

You must inspect:

• all front fog lamps fitted to vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018
• the 1 rear fog lamp which must be fitted to the centre or offside of vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1980

Fog lamps must produce a steady light which is:

• white - for front fog lamps
• red - for rear fog lamps

Rear fog lamps may be combined with the rear position lamps.

A rear fog lamp is not needed on:

• vehicles not fitted with front and rear position lamps
• vehicles with permanently disconnected, painted over or masked front and rear position lamps that are
• tricycles and quadricycles

Switch on the rear fog lamps and operate all the other lamps in turn to see if the rear fog lamps are adversely affected.

You must assess damaged or repaired lamps for security, colour, light output and durability.

Defect	Category
(a) Front or rear fog lamp emitted colour or position not in accordance with the requirements	Major
(b) A rear fog lamp adversely affected by the operation of any other lamp	Major

4.6. Reversing lamps,Showthis section

4.7. Rear registration plate lamps,Showthis section

4.8. Rear reflectors,Showthis section

4.9. ‘Tell-tales’ mandatory for lighting equipment,Showthis section

4.10. Trailer electrical socket,Showthis section

4.11. Electrical wiring,Showthis section

4.12. Not in use,Showthis section

4.13. Battery(ies),Showthis section

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Edited August 22, 2021 by hodge911

[Old Boggy]

4.5.1 states vehicles after 1st March 2018 regards fog lamps to be checked. My 21 year old RAV4 is therefore exempt (I think). Thanks for the link though.

OB

[hodge911]

1 hour ago, Old Boggy said:

4.5.1 states vehicles after 1st March 2018 regards fog lamps to be checked. My 21 year old RAV4 is therefore exempt (I think). Thanks for the link though.

OB

It also says 1980 onwards vehicles must have 1 working lamp in center or offside ... 

So it all depends on when vehicle was registered ..... 

There are lots of cut off dates for different class vehicles it's a mare trying to remember them 

I used to test Cass 1 2 3 4 5 & 7 

I can't remember how many times a day I had to check the tester's Bible to see what dates / rules applied to

Edited August 23, 2021 by hodge911

[Old Boggy]

39 minutes ago, hodge911 said:

It also says 1980 onwards vehicles must have 1 working lamp in center or offside ... 

So it all depends on when vehicle was registered ..... 

There are lots of cut off dates for different class vehicles it's a mare trying to remember them 

I used to test Cass 1 2 3 4 5 & 7 

I can't remember how many times a day I had to check the tester's Bible to see what dates / rules applied to

Sounds very complicated and a minefield.

OB

[hodge911]

11 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Sounds very complicated and a minefield.

OB

Oh yes .

When I was testing I can remember asking the vosa man who used to turn up unannounced to watch us test a question on a problem I had with a vehicle and the reply I got was " well that's a bit of a grey area and is down to tester's descresion "  . Instead of them just saying this is a pass and this is a fail . And having it in black and white . 

What I asked about was a transit 

The guy rang and said can I book a class 7 test so I booked it in . At the given time a swb single wheel transit with no side loading door turns up . I said to him that's not a class 7 mate it's only a class 4 he says I've had it to another station and they say is a class 7 ... Now after testing for many years you know what is and isn't a class 7 .

I start to take vehicle details 

Reg number 

Go to passenger side door step for vin plate I write the chassis number down and the gvw which was 3500kg making it a class 7 

Something was still not sitting right with me as I'd never seen a single wheel swb transit as a 7 .

So I go to driver's side door where the vin number is stamped into the step .... AHH right . The chassis number on the vin plate and the one stamped into the step were completely different. Looking closer at the vin plate I could see the pop rivets holding it on were too big .

On pointing out to him that the numbers should be identical and there was a problem he jumped in and drove off.

The trick they try to pull is put the reg number plates and vin plate off a knackered class 7 pick up or van onto s good vehicle to get a pass cert then swap back onto the knackered vehicle therefore gaining a full test on a pile of poop ( yes u guessed it he was a *****) they were camped a mile or so away and I passed the camp and seen the van parked up latter on that day 

Edited August 23, 2021 by hodge911

[sharpeshooter60]

On 21/08/2021 at 10:35, sandspider said:

Hi folks

Am I right in thinking that the rear windscreen wiper not working is not an MOT failure? Government guidance says that the windscreen wipers not working is a failure, but doesn't mention the back wiper.

Mine has just stopped working and my MOT is next week! I don't want them to replace the motor as it's pricey, and I think I can fix it, given time...

take the wiper off the car,then they carnt fail it