New MOT rule for drivers seat.

[Tim Harpley]

Hi, just thought I'd pass on some info about the new seat requirement, it states that the drivers seat now has to move forward and backwards (locking into position) this came to light a couple of days ago when a guy I work with brought his VW camper in for me to MOT he's got FORD GRANADA seats bolted to the floor. Had a read through the testing manual which doesn't give a lot of info apart from its a fail:(. So I phoned the the testing standards line and was told initially that it was a fail so I said ok but it was a pity as the vehicle has been like that for years, so he told me to hold on while he checked with the policy guys.
When he came back to me he said it would be a pass as long as the runners had been removed and the seat was bolted in solidly.
Just thought I'd share that info with you as some of you probably have bolted in race seats and as I've already said the testing guide isn't very clear so you could get a fail by mistake :thumb:

[chris gsi]

I thought that when I read it first but when i looked into as well i found out It dose not apply if it has no means to move even if it did from standard. The other change I don't like is early 60s car don't need a mot anymore as they said they are more highly maintained

[Novasport]

Good evening Tim, thought for a minute you had taken the Sport for an MOT! How is the project getting on?
Good bit of info there, thanks.

Also, as of yesterday the MOT certificate shows all of the mileages recorded at the previous two or three MOT's

[Novasport]

The other change I don't like is early 60s car don't need a mot anymore as they said they are more highly maintained


Yeah right!

I wonder if that means you can buy a pile of scrap with a logbook and pull the dateless plate off it ;) as yo used to need an MOT cert

[Benn]

So what's the fail? I dont get where this is going...

[Novasport]

If you replace a seat for a fixed type and the runners remain or the original seat is jammed or not adjustable as when new it is a fail. That is how I interpret it.

[brainsnova]

I hate it when someone moves my seat lol

[Tim Harpley]

So what's the fail? I dont get where this is going...

There's three of us who test, I'm Q/C and we didn't think the manual was very clear that's why I phoned and like I said the guy on the phone initially said if it don't move it fails that's why I thought I'd let people know that they might end up with a fail by mistake.

This is how the new section reads in the testing manual.

Information.
Original Design characteristics and specialised modifications (e.g. to enable wheelchair access) are to be accepted.
When checking the driver’s seat adjustment it is not necessary to check that the seat can be secured in all possible positions. In the case of electrically adjusted seats, it is not necessary to check that any ‘memory position’ function is working.


Method of inspection.
Check that the driver’s seat position can be adjusted forwards and backwards and secured in the selected positions.

Reason for rejection.
The driver’s seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended.

It doesn't say anywhere that the seat can be bolted in position, this is a new check that has recently been introduced, just trying to help out.