Hi Everyone

My 2006 Grande Punto has just failed its MOT 7th year running this time it failed on rusting sills.

The drivers side at the back is defiantly gone no doubt, theres is a hole through the triangle bit as it curves up to the wheel arch but the tester said there was holes all along both sills.

When I have looked at a picture of the underside of a GP online its supposed to have holes 5 on each side, the holes are rusty and have gone a bit bigger but they are the only holes in the sills do you think this should really be a fail? I have prodded with a screwdriver and all the other metal around the holes seem ok not managed to poke any other holes through.


These where the failed points.

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected sill (5.3.6 (a) (ii))

Offside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected sill, front to rear (5.3.6 (a) (ii))

Nearside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded to the extent that control of the vehicle is likely to be adversely affected sill, front to rear (5.3.6 (a) (ii))

Once a fail has been issued things get "messy" if you want to contest the decision.

Don't take this as "gospel" but my understanding of how an appeal works is: First discuss your doubts with the testing station. If it can't be resolved and you want to take it further, you have to fill in an appeal form and send it to the DVSA within 14 days. They will then contact you within 5 days. They may require another test to be performed and I think you have to pay for it? You must not repair the car until the process is completed! So, for most people, that means you are going to be without transport for some time.

I found this info on www.gov.uk/problems with mot results. There are a couple of obvious question I would like to ask. I suppose maybe you love your car as much as I love mine, but after 7 years of failing every year, why are you still persevering with it? and the other one is, where are you going for your tests? (there are some - they come up on forums again and again, which are famous for failing MOT's)

Those fails are ambiguous. They've failed it on suspension mounting points, but the sill is not a suspension mounting point.

Personally, I'd take it for a 2nd opinion - try a local council MOT testing station as they don't do repairs they have no reason to fail the car on anything which isn't actually relevant, and they'll often show you exactly what the issues are.

Eklipze3k said:

try a local council MOT testing station as they don't do repairs they have no reason to fail the car on anything which isn't actually relevant, and they'll often show you exactly what the issues are.

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I can thoroughly recommend this. Many years ago the most convenient test station for me was the council workshops down in Musselburgh. They did a "stiff but fair" MOT - exactly what I want - and would put the car back up on a ramp if there was something needing clarification. Another thing I particularly liked was that they would mark brake pipes and corroded areas with blackboard chalk. You were never in any doubt as to the extent of the areas which they were concerned about. It made deciding exactly what to repair very easy.

As you say, they did not do repairs to the public's vehicles. I really liked this as there was no "temptation". However, now with these new regulations which seem to have tightened up on the advice not to drive away a fail (which has always been the case but previously there was no instant update of data, so who would have known?) might be problematic?

Hi johnsb20

also agree.

Not stated very clearly

The corrosion is within 30cm of a structural element..

Could even be 1 rust patch.. listed twice

This occurs sometimes.. as its WITHIN A FOOT of something important.

Personally.. if you are happy with the car.. get that rust dealt with.

And the advisories.. if any..

And then get the car re.tested elsewhere.

Charlie

out of curiosity have you been taking the car to the same MOT station for the last 7 years??

Hi Thanks for all your replies.

To answer your question Pugglt Auld Jock:
Every year that its failed I have just though well ill just get it through one more and then change it next year and something always comes up and I never do.

I know the car isn't worth much anymore but I'm familiar with it I know its history whats been done I just think if I spend a grand or whatever on another car I don't know its history whats been done and even though its an older car the interior and exterior doesn't look dated like some 12 yr old cars.

Its been to a different MOT test station every year I haven't been loyal to a set one every time they fail it I think I'm not coming here again haha. I don't think I will go down the DVSA appeal process sounds like too much faff and I need the car back on the road.

I ended taking the car to another garage for a second opinion. He thought he had been a bit harsh on the sills but they had defiantly gone at the back so that bit was defiantly a fail. I was also failed on emissions the second garage found the lambada sensor was loose post CAT he tightened it and tested in front of me and he said it would pass now gave me a print out of the figures and its way below the limits. The last thing I was failed on was front lower ball joint boots not preventing dirt ingress he said technically its a fail the guy who originally did it is doing it by the book.

Over the weekend I changed the balljoint boots my self one took 45min the other took hours the nut kept turning but wouldn't work it way off as the thread was shot but after a lot of persuasion and a few scratches and scrapes on me not the car its all done.

I have just got it back today after another local garage did the welding on the sills for me and its booked in on Monday to be tested again at the garage I got the second opinion at so hopefully it will be a pass this time.

Sounds good, let us know how it goes

Well done. Sounds as if you will have it back in service soon

I ended up in a last minute MOT problem with our mk2 sporting.

Poor health meant I hadnt been under it to check the basics..

Once it had 3 fail items .. they went for the lot.. £450 quote..!!

A lot of it was relativelly petty.. like your rubber boots.

But just too much bother to do and as it had cost £120 and lasted 3 years its time was up..

Tricky to know where to draw the line on repairs vs value isnt it..

Charlie

varesecrazy said:

.

Tricky to know where to draw the line on repairs vs value isnt it..

Charlie

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get rid of it and You'll probably make a happy new owner who will fix (or spend some money to) it and have an affordable Grande ;-)

BRs, Bernie

I had the new MOT done today and its a Pass she lives to fight for another year!

Thanks for the update John !!

Cheers, Bernie

Bernievarian said:

Thanks for the update John !!

Cheers, Bernie

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Before the MOT I had a bit of a mad fixing spree over the weekend my rear window de-mister has been broke for ages so thats all fixed now and I replaced the drivers side door keeper opener thingy (I dont know what its called) so I no longer have the door slamming shut on me when I have my hands full and I managed to install puddle lights (only on the drivers side) but its an improvement.

Ive now been looking at adding cruise control or rain sensors I have the Multiecuscan software and can get the cruise control light to show on the dash and enable it, it also lets me enable the rain sensors. I know what PIN numbers on the body computer I need to add the connections to but does anyone know where you get the terminals to add to the plug that connects to the body computer?

Mmmmh, falling in love again with your Grande ?

regarding the CC, what is your engine ?

BRs, Bernie

Yeah its back in the good books.

The car is a 2006 Active Sport with a 1.4 8v engine

Thanks,

Good job and welcome back

johnsb20 said:

... The car is a 2006 Active Sport with a 1.4 8v engine ...

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Hi John, here's what I found for your engine, as for what I've seen on my Mjet, the connector behind the wheel is the same, having CC or not and it might (it was on my car) be already wired to the BCM so in theory one should just add the CC stalk and activate the function with MES as you already did ...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

Bernievarian said:

Hi John, here's what I found for your engine, as for what I've seen on my Mjet, the connector behind the wheel is the same, having CC or not and it might (it was on my car) be already wired to the BCM so in theory one should just add the CC stalk and activate the function with MES as you already did ...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

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Thanks Bernie,

I didnt think to check if the wiring was already in place, hopefully it will be

Hi John,

are you planning to install the stalk with the built-in CC lever ? If so could you check what is the resistance between the two wires for the various states of this lever ?

- off
- on
- increase
- decrease
- resume

Thanks in advance, Bernie

Bernievarian said:

Hi John,

are you planning to install the stalk with the built-in CC lever ? If so could you check what is the resistance between the two wires for the various states of this lever ?

- off
- on
- increase
- decrease
- resume

Thanks in advance, Bernie

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Hi Bernie,

I checked for the CC wiring and it was already there, I also popped out the interior light and curled up was the wiring for the rain sensor too.

I found another post with the elearn resistor values for the control stalk so I made something to simulate this to test if the CC works, below are the values my setup used I tried to get it as close the the proper values as possible.

- off = open circit
- on = 2440Ω
- increase = 379Ω
- decrease = 708Ω
- resume = 128Ω

I did a road test and it worked perfect. I don't know if I'm going to buy the proper stalk yet they are a bit expensive and I'm a bit low on funds at the moment but if I ever do get one ill let you know what the exact values are.

Thanks,