# MOT changes for 2012



## Rbentley (Dec 17, 2007)

New MOT Requirements - MBClub UK Forums

Anyone seen anything relating to the illegal mod change in the MOT?
Anyone know anything more?


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## RSVFOUR (May 1, 2006)

This must be the third or forth post about this link.
Plus its a copy of a post that someone got from another forum and the post was second hand itself and not from an official site 

It simply isnt possible to check the map on all ecus as past of the test

F cons for example need an HKS dongle (only from HKS approved places) to even open plus they can be password locked . 
I cant get into mine as the password was lost with rob so how is a tester going to check it even if he had the dongle.


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## 1563parker (Jul 22, 2009)

I am an mot tester and have never heard anything about this, just don't see how it would be possible! :smokin:


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## ITSt (Apr 28, 2006)

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/144981-vosa-possible-future-mot-criteria-vosa-police-hid-guidance.html

.... and if you really want to read the EU crap on it refer to the following:

_Commission Directive 2010/48/EU of 5 July 2010 amending European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/40/EC of 6 May 2009_

and as we are in the EU the following applies, hence VOSA starting to issue bullitins now : 

- _With the exception of paragraph 3 of Annex II, Member States must comply with the provisions of this Directive by 31 Dec. 2011

- Member States must comply with paragraph 3 of annex II (about a Roadworthiness Certificate) by 31 Dec. 2013._


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## ITSt (Apr 28, 2006)

1563parker said:


> I am an mot tester and have never heard anything about this, just don't see how it would be possible! :smokin:


Do you not read the official MOT tester's bullitins ?

Here's the link to the one that first discusses the new regs :

http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MoT%20-%20Issue%2048%20-%20Oct%202010.pdf


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## David (Apr 25, 2003)

RSVFOUR said:


> This must be the third or forth post about this link.
> Plus its a copy of a post that someone got from another forum and the post was second hand itself and not from an official site
> 
> It simply isnt possible to check the map on all ecus as past of the test
> ...


I can see where they are coming from with this, basically they are trying to stop the current trend to remap (or replace and remap with the FCON) an ECU and tune it so that it passes an idle based emissions test, but once your on load would fail to pass a full on emission drive cylce (which all new cars have to pass).

My view on this is they are trying to outlaw any tuning which may effect emissions performance outside idle, so your ECU and calibration must be standard. Therefore by default your car would fail for having an aftermarket ECU fitted.

I dont agree with this, but I can see what they are trying to do. It will be intersted to see if this gets included in new Mot laws.


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## Rbentley (Dec 17, 2007)

Cheers for the replies, Guys. Still not clear on whether this is going to happen or the level - but I guess its one to watch.


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## Cris (Sep 17, 2007)

David said:


> I can see where they are coming from with this, basically they are trying to stop the current trend to remap (or replace and remap with the FCON) an ECU and tune it so that it passes an idle based emissions test, but once your on load would fail to pass a full on emission drive cylce (which all new cars have to pass).
> 
> My view on this is they are trying to outlaw any tuning which may effect emissions performance outside idle, so your ECU and calibration must be standard. Therefore by default your car would fail for having an aftermarket ECU fitted.
> 
> I dont agree with this, but I can see what they are trying to do. It will be intersted to see if this gets included in new Mot laws.


I can see how a test could be done on an emissions basis, say 10% rpm, 50% rpm or whatever but you couldn't actually test a car's ECU.

Even if testers had an ability to interrorgate every ECU type made on all models of cars with a database supplied and updated by the manufacurers what do they do when I turn up in my home made Caterham thing?


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## LozGT (Dec 8, 2005)

I've just been skimming over "Commission Directive 2010/48/EU of 5 July 2010 adapting to technical progress Directive 2009/40/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers" and it says some interesting things about how the MOT test may change. The thing with directives is that although they may be ratified by member states of the EU - and therefore have to be implemented - the way in which they are implemented is often open to individual member states interpretation. In the UK we have a history of doing things by the book in this regard but the silver lining to this potential cloud is that section 6.1.9. on 'Engine performance' will be carried out by a 'visual inspection' on engine control units and engines themselves. So not looking at maps themselves. The directive talks of 'illegal' modifications to these elements but does not define what illegal is. I would be very surprised if an MOT tester went hunting for the ECU on a car he was unfamilair with. And there's always the chance that the tester might break the plastic panel that needed to be removed to inspect the ECU.

I can imagine that a failure based on engine and engine control units could be in terms of modifications that violate emissions, vehicle safety or noise regulations. But I can't imagine a visual check that would indicate all modifications. My GTSt had an Abbey ECU but it was just a flashed Nissan unit and looked entirely standard.

It's not clear what the changes will mean but I don't think that VOSA will want to make the test any more onerous for testers in terms of time spent on the test or equipment needed to carry out the test. I also don't think it will mean that cars are rendered unroadworthy just because they have a FCon or PowerFC. The crunch will be when they don't pass the emissions test - in whatever form that finds itself in. I think for the moment just 'Keep Calm and Carry on'...


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## mattysupra (Oct 31, 2008)

Next thing they will be doing is installing rolling roads at MOT centers and seeing if you have a power increase over standard! 


Anyway i cant see the issue with a 'chipped' ecu providing your insurance company knows. 

End of the day, if you have a corsa and have it chipped the emmisions are still going to be lower than say a lambo. So are we going to end up all driving cars that have large engines and polute more if they ban us 'chipping' our smaller engine cars?


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## RSVFOUR (May 1, 2006)

David said:


> I can see where they are coming from with this, basically they are trying to stop the current trend to remap (or replace and remap with the FCON) an ECU and tune it so that it passes an idle based emissions test, but once your on load would fail to pass a full on emission drive cylce (which all new cars have to pass).
> 
> My view on this is they are trying to outlaw any tuning which may effect emissions performance outside idle, so your ECU and calibration must be standard. Therefore by default your car would fail for having an aftermarket ECU fitted.
> 
> I dont agree with this, but I can see what they are trying to do. It will be intersted to see if this gets included in new Mot laws.


Sorry but I dont think you are looking at this in the right way.

You can no more fail a car for having an aftermarket ECU than you can fail a pre seat belt car for no belts or fail a pre 1973 car for not having a cat. 
All such rule changes are never retrospective. 
They could only ban different ECUs on new cars from the date of the rule change (like seat belts/cats etc)

Re attempts to change the stats at idle . 
Mine isnt mapped to pass the current emissions at idle cos they dont apply (see reasons below) its mapped for efficiency all through the range.
Re those emissions stats
My car is legally on the road in the UK but the because stagea isnt on the emissions list of vehicles there is no standard emissions for a stagea 

So by default it cant fail the emissions test . :chuckle: cos there isnt one to comply to.

A final point - Kit cars , engine swops/changes are not illeagal (yet) so which ecu do you use then :runaway:


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## Andy W (Dec 31, 2005)

i just had to change the mirrors on our 7.5t truck (02 plate) because they now don't meet MOT standards, things can be made to be retrospective for MOT 

Tow bars are now checked as part of an MOT, Doesn't matter if 'it was like that last year' if its fitted its checked

don't all Bikes now have to have a silencer with a BS marking ? that never used to be the case either. or is it just bikes that are registered after a certian date


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## Lubo69GTR (Mar 4, 2010)

RSVFOUR said:


> Sorry but I dont think you are looking at this in the right way.
> 
> You can no more fail a car for having an aftermarket ECU than you can fail a pre seat belt car for no belts or fail a pre 1973 car for not having a cat.
> All such rule changes are never retrospective.
> ...



You don't need to have a CAT fitted to any UK car up to and including a J plate mid 92.

My bike has a BS mark on top and illegal for road use underneath  It all depends on your MOT man. I've been taking my bike to a place since I was a kid and it'd only needs one wheel to pass as long as it's clean  Yet to find a decent car MOT tester though


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## 1563parker (Jul 22, 2009)

ITSt said:


> Do you not read the official MOT tester's bullitins ?
> 
> Here's the link to the one that first discusses the new regs :
> 
> http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MoT%20-%20Issue%2048%20-%20Oct%202010.pdf


yes I do read them but if i belived everything i read in them over the years, an mot would take about 2days!
also its idiots that dont know the first thing about cars that dream all this up i mean an mot every 2 years is still being looked into an thats the most stupid thing i have ever heard!!


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## Andy W (Dec 31, 2005)

1563parker said:


> also its idiots that dont know the first thing about cars that dream all this up i mean an mot every 2 years is still being looked into an thats the most stupid thing i have ever heard!!


Quite agree, three years is too long for new cars also, some cars will have done over 150,000 miles by then

a test such as 25,000 miles or yearly would be better


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## 1563parker (Jul 22, 2009)

Andy W said:


> Quite agree, three years is too long for new cars also, some cars will have done over 150,000 miles by then
> 
> a test such as 25,000 miles or yearly would be better



very true!
the powers that be might realise this when road deaths sky rocket!


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## JapFreak786 (Aug 29, 2003)

or be really friendly with your local MOT station 

this appears to becoming similar to the shaken test's that car's go through in Japan?


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

So I need 2 sets of ECU now to pass this rule?

or is COBB enough to reset?


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## 1563parker (Jul 22, 2009)

JapFreak786 said:


> or be really friendly with your local MOT station


 :chuckle::chuckle::chuckle::chuckle:


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## RSVFOUR (May 1, 2006)

enshiu said:


> So I need 2 sets of ECU now to pass this rule?
> 
> or is COBB enough to reset?


Just isnt going to happen

If it does when my stagea goes for its test out of interest how do they know 

1 where the ecu is in the first place
2 if its piggy backed since the fcon is nowhere near the stock ecu (in the lockable glove compartment)
3 if it is and they find it how do they test it if its password locked


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## Andy W (Dec 31, 2005)

RSVFOUR said:


> 3 if it is and they find it how do they test it if its password locked


you could get a fail for it just 'being there' if all aftermarket ECU's are classed as non road legal


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## RSVFOUR (May 1, 2006)

Best keep the glove compartment locked then


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