MOT query

[golly]

I wonder if @Geo or anyone in the trade could give an opinion re mot. I took delivery of a 2016 Subaru xv last week, as part of the deal, a got them to fit a tow bar. Now the rear fog light is in the middle of the bumper directly behind the tow bar, other than a detachable tow ball I can't see any other way of fitting. My query is, would this constitute a fail when it is due an MOT?
Cheers John

 

[mike mcglynn]

Hi, Golly, I had to have my foglight moved as my towbar did the same, I just moved it to the towbar ,but yours is not quite a towbar as such its a towball hitch and that maybe a problem an additional foglight might be the answer .

 

[Boringfrog]

With the rear fog lamps switched on check that a rear fog lamp:

a. is securely fitted to the centre or offside of the vehicle
b. is working
c. is not obscured

 

[golly]

Hi, Golly, I had to have my foglight moved as my towbar did the same, I just moved it to the towbar ,but yours is not quite a towbar as such its a towball hitch and that maybe a problem an additional foglight might be the answer .

With the rear fog lamps switched on check that a rear fog lamp:

a. is securely fitted to the centre or offside of the vehicle
b. is working
c. is not obscured

Thanks for the reply , May have to have a word with the dealer I think

 

[tacr2man]

You need also to be aware that you can have a maximum of two rear fog lights and your answer is to fit another rear fog light on the offside of the rear of vehicle to supplement the existing . The existing will not be fail-able as the requirement is a minimum of one
the one on the offside should not be within 100mm of stop light . and below 1000mm and above 250mm . The centre one would need to be disabled as a light as it would not comply with matched pair fitment on vehicles after 1980 .

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[Langtoftlad]

It looks like the towball is bolted to the bracket attached to the car... wouldn't the simplest/cheapest/easiest option be to simply unbolt it at MOT time ?

 

[golly]

It looks like the towball is bolted to the bracket attached to the car... wouldn't the simplest/cheapest/easiest option be to simply unbolt it at MOT time ?

Yes that may be a solution, will Investigate

 

[nicholsong]

If you take the cover off the towball does the twball itself obstruct the light? If not, then that is an eveneasier solution at MOT time.

Geoff

 

[Langtoftlad]

If you take the cover off the towball does the twball itself obstruct the light? If not, then that is an eveneasier solution at MOT time.

Geoff

I suppose it all depends on any one examiner's interpretation of "is not obscured"

 

[golly]

If you take the cover off the towball does the twball itself obstruct the light? If not, then that is an eveneasier solution at MOT time.

Geoff

May get away with that, depends how zealous the examiner is.

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[JJ]

No one else on here would do what I would do...

I would remove the tow ball for the MOT and replace it when I needed to tow something.


JJ

 

[tonyidle]

I think that anything that obscures a rear fog light has to be a good thing ................. Now if only something similar could be found for the front .

 

[androidGB]

But if you're towing something the fog light will be obscured anyway, and you rely on the fog light on the towed Vehicle/trailer.

So removing for the MOT does make logical sense, if you say the tow hook would only be put on when you needed to tow something

Andrew

 

[Geo]

From the pic that is a plain simple pass
So long as 50%+ is visible
Present vehicle as is, and if failed suggest tester looks at Method of inspection and reason for rejection in the Current version of the manual.
Geo

 

[old-mo]

Hacksaw the round bit orft...


Sorry..

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[gerry mcg]

The argument for it failing would be that if fitted but not towing, and if you were to remove for MOT in order to pass, but refitted it after, the light could be obscured if the fog light was needed when not towing.
If towing, the trailer would have it’s own lights.
Would fitting an offset additional fog light to the rear offside valance be a solution?

 

[golly]

The argument for it failing would be that if fitted but not towing, and if you were to remove for MOT in order to pass, but refitted it after, the light could be obscured if the fog light was needed when not towing.
If towing, the trailer would have it’s own lights.
Would fitting an offset additional fog light to the rear offside valance be a solution?

Don't really want to start fitting extra lights, think it's a bit of a design fault on Subaru's part. Got two years before I need to do anything, if I keep it that long

 

[gerry mcg]

Another thought. If the “test threshold “ is less than 50% obscured, what is the size (in mm) of the foglight?
A standard ISO tow ball is 50mm diameter, therefore will obscure an area of 1963mm2 (Pi*r^2)
If the fog light area is < 4000mm2, then a technical failure.
If >4000mm2, that’s your argument As to why it’s ok and a MOT pass, not a reason for failure

 

[golly]

Another thought. If the “test threshold “ is less than 50% obscured, what is the size (in mm) of the foglight?
A standard ISO tow ball is 50mm diameter, therefore will obscure an area of 157mm2 (Pi*d)
If the fog light area is < 314mm2, then a technical failure.
If >314mm2, that’s your argument As to why it’s ok and a MOT pass, not a reason for failure

Good point, I will measure it later, i suppose it also depends on the angle you view it from.

 

[gerry mcg]

Good point, I will measure it later, i suppose it also depends on the angle you view it from.

I changed my maths >4000mm2 is ok. (63mm sq)
I would expect the assessment to be made in the plane of the light and towball, (i.e.parallel to the ground, not oblique from the side or above) as this would be the worst case scenario

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[gerry mcg]

My mk1 eyeball says your fog lamps is >100x50mm, therefore >5000mm2, so you are ok, and have some maths to argue a point if need be

 

[golly]

I changed my maths >4000mm2 is ok. (63mm sq)
I would expect the assessment to be made in the plane of the light and towball, (i.e.parallel to the ground, not oblique from the side or above) as this would be the worst case scenario

Just measured the lamp, 110mm X 60mm so I make that an area of 6600mm2 so in theory should be ok.