Technical Multipla air bag MOT pass

[daloriana]

Afternoon all,

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but my 04 Multipla 1.9jtd has just scraped through its MOT, the problem I have is with the dashboard Airbag Warning light (the red one, not the orange child seat one).

It'd been on for months, and failed its MOT because of this, my local garage have 'fixed' this by popping the plastic cover off of the dash and placing some gaffer tape over the light. They said their 'machine' read a fault with both driver and passenger airbag, but could shed no other detail on it. I've read through t few threads about fixing this (mainly cleaning the connections under the seats), which I'll try after I've taken the gaffer tape off.

I'm a bit concerned that the airbags will not deploy in a crash (or deploy buy accident while driving), and that my MOT 'pass' is a bit dodgy, so any advise would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Alpitlum]

The car will pass the MOT if the light doesn't illuminate at all but will fail if it stays on.
Having said that for the garage to cover the bulb to get the car through the test isn't very good at all.
It is handy of course as your car is through the test but I would now be looking at getting the system repaired properly.

 

[BikeDoc]

The car will pass the MOT if the light doesn't illuminate at all . . .

I don't think that's the case.
The Tester will know what lights should show on Start-Up, if one doesn't come on, I'm sure that would (or should) be a fail.
I suspect most would show some common-sense however, or maybe not be too bothered about certain lights.

 

[Alpitlum]

Light on constant = fail.
Light fails to illuminate altogether = pass and advise.

http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/c...nualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm

All in the manual, download option 3 , unzip and go to section 3.4 page 1 which details reasons to fail ABS warning light then go to section 5.4 page 1 which gives details for SRS light.
ABS light will fail if missing, inoperative or indicating a fault.
SRS light will only fail if indicating a fault.

A pass for a faulty airbag system is as easy as removing the bulb but as I said earlier the problem is that the system will still be faulty which may be a big disaster should an accident occur

 

[BikeDoc]

I stand corrected
I thought there was now a requirement for testers to check warnings and warning lights specifically, and fail a vehicle if any came up (any related to 'safety' items that is.

 

[Alpitlum]

There is and the airbag light was originally to be checked that it came on and went off same as the abs light then this was changed back so that if the light didn't come on it would pass.
Very strange but that's the current standard.

 

[BikeDoc]

Just goes to prove what a bunch of t***s those that make the Rules/Laws are :bang:

 

[Alpitlum]

Just goes to prove what a bunch of t***s those that make the Rules/Laws are :bang:

It has to be the strangest part of the current test.
This has caused confusion not just among car owners but also garages and testers.
Personally I would sooner have the system working than taking a bulb out to pass.

 

[BikeDoc]

No arguments there.

 

[EddieEnglish]

I had the same light on my 51 plate Multipla

This year thats an MOT fail. However, after reading this Forum the solution was (and this worked) to take apart the yellow connector under the left front seat and clean the contacts and check the wires etc.

Light fixed and no longer an MOT issue