Side marker lights

This may be of interest to those who want to know about what lights are REQUIRED to be fitted (as opposed to just being fitted)

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

www.legislation.gov.uk www.legislation.gov.uk
OBLIGATORY LAMPS, REFLECTORS, REAR MARKINGS AND DEVICES

And the key bit on Side Markers as far as Motor Caravans are concerned in red ...

Required
Side marker lamp Schedule 9: Part I

But for these Exceptions
  • A vehicle having a maximum speed not exceeding 25 mph;
  • A passenger vehicle;
  • An incomplete vehicle proceeding to a works for completion or to a place where it is to be stored or displayed for sale;
  • A vehicle the overall length of which does not exceed 6 m;
  • A vehicle first used before 1st April 1991;
  • A vehicle in respect of which the following conditions are satisfied–
  • (a) there is fitted to the vehicle all the lighting and light-signalling devices listed in items 1.5.7 to 1.5.20 of Annex I of Community Directive 76/756/EEC, as amended, which are required to be fitted under that Annex; and
  • (b) all those devices are so installed that they comply with the requirements set out in items 3 and 4 of that Annex including, in particular, item 4.2.6 (Alignment of dipped-beam headlamps).
 
From the horses mouth so to speak. A friend who has ran and owned his mot station for 30 + years, unless you want to tell him he has been doing it wrong for all those years.
Screenshot_20230114-114252.jpg
 
Scotia said:
From the horses mouth so to speak. A friend who has ran and owned his mot station for 30 + years, unless you want to tell him he has been doing it wrong for all those years.View attachment 117019
Click to expand...
Ask him if you would please to screen shot where it states side markers are tested in his manual ....
I'm not saying it doesn't ...I'm just saying I can't find it and I'm interested .

I know it does as far as end markers BUT I can't find anything regarding sides .
 
mistericeman said:
Ask him if you would please to screen shot where it states side markers are tested in his manual ....
I'm not saying it doesn't ...I'm just saying I can't find it and I'm interested .

I know it does as far as end markers BUT I can't find anything regarding sides .
Click to expand...
I'm not going to pester him for that he is a busy man. I remember him saying to me when one of mine were out to get it fixed before the mot, his words were if fitted the lights must work. Another occasion was the aftermarket rear canopy on a pickup I had the overhead brake light had gone even although both brake lights on the pickup were good again his words were if fitted they must work. I'm only going with the word of the guy that does my mot's.
 
Scotia said:
From the horses mouth so to speak. A friend who has ran and owned his mot station for 30 + years, unless you want to tell him he has been doing it wrong for all those years.View attachment 117019
Click to expand...
... and yet my personal experience is circumstantial evidence that he's wrong. Side marker lights aren't even mentioned in the MOT manual for passenger vehicles and so no more need work than any other light optionally fitted (like awning and work lights). There is a very good reason why there's an appeals process -- MOT testers sometimes get it wrong. Also, the MOT test changes often -- to keep step with changes in regulations -- and just because someone's been a tester for 30 years doesn't mean they're guaranteed to get it right every times as there's only so much that be covered in the three-hours-per-year mandatory training for testers. (just sayin')

www.gov.uk

MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles - 4. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment - Guidance - GOV.UK

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.
www.gov.uk www.gov.uk
 
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I was surprised last time I took the motorhome for mot that I got an advisory for number plate lights not working
As I thought it would have been a fail, but apparently it is not a fail
 
mistericeman said:
My thoughts too ....

Not the first time I've had to question a testers "interpretation " of the testing rules .
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I had the impartial Council MOT station fail a car due to the discs apparently about to disintergrate. Took it to a different MOT station and passed.

How did I know they were wrong? maybe because I replaced the discs less than a year and 1,000 miles ago. The garage owner I got the proper MOT from was not surprised and he was rather scathing about some MOT Testers ....
 
RichardHelen262 said:
I was surprised last time I took the motorhome for mot that I got an advisory for number plate lights not working
As I thought it would have been a fail, but apparently it is not a fail
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Maybe if one was out in a pair possibly?
I've had MOT fails for numberplate lights a few times (I always forget to check those lights when I do the walk round pre-MOT and when you have a VW with a tailgate, the bulbs (or lamps to be pedantic ;) ) tend to break within a year due to the shock of the slam shut).
The place I used to go would just fail me, replace the bulb and then pass immediately. Once started,not allow to fix anything or pause the test, so would end up with a Fail+Pass :)
 
They were both out because of a poor design by Autosleeper they were both internals were rotted out,
It does look as he helped me out as only put it down as one out.

DBCE5DE7-E4A5-4AEB-92CC-1FA8AB7C0B71.png
 
wildebus said:
Maybe if one was out in a pair possibly?
I've had MOT fails for numberplate lights a few times (I always forget to check those lights when I do the walk round pre-MOT and when you have a VW with a tailgate, the bulbs (or lamps to be pedantic ;) ) tend to break within a year due to the shock of the slam shut).
The place I used to go would just fail me, replace the bulb and then pass immediately. Once started,not allow to fix anything or pause the test, so would end up with a Fail+Pass :)
Click to expand...
Screenshot_20230114_123921_Chrome.jpg
 
I thought that any light fitted to a vehicle had to work, I had a Trials bike no lights no problem at the MOT, I have searched the MOT guide online and marker lights don't come up at all.

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,Show​

4.2. Front and rear position lamps, daytime running lamps and end-outline marker lamps,Show​

4.3. Stop lamps,Show​

4.4. Direction indicators and hazard warning lamps,Show​

4.5. Front and rear fog lamps,Show​

4.6. Reversing lamps,Show​

4.7. Rear registration plate lamps,Show​

4.8. Rear reflectors,Show​

4.9. ‘Tell-tales’ mandatory for lighting equipment,Show​

4.10. Trailer electrical socket,Show​

4.11. Electrical wiring​

 
MOT testers are only human and will get things wrong occasionally, that's why there's an appeal process available. I've never had side markers on any MH I've owned but if my MH had failed because one of them wasn't working it would arguably be easier to sort it rather than take it to appeal, so the error never gets picked up, the wrong information is re enforced and the ignorance of the tester continues.
 
I won,t say which Government dept I work for but they most definitely not part of a Mot test for a class4 in the UK . If it ain’t in the manual it can’t be failed .
 
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