Future MOT failure question

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

Hi, my MOT is due 24 jan

Since mid november, my front passenger seat has been acting up: won't slide forward backward, won't rotate anymore or might not lock
i know it's MOT failure ( Dangerous, although never passengers in this seat) so technically i can't drive it back if not fixed after MOT fail

local non vw Garage has ordered the parts (close to £800.. ) this morning (17/01) but parts might take up to 7 to 10 days. they say it will arrive ealier

tried to book earlier, but you know: waiting list to get Garage appointment (tbh, it's the 3rd time i went there for same issue still not fixed), was all december, first week of January in France, etc

MOT is a class 7 (T32, not available everywhere, especially at short notice)

I have 2 booked just to make sure i had one date (I started with VW poole, but 3 day after expiry) one fairly local in Weston Super Mare (20miles, 21/01) or one with original Dealer in Poole( 27/01)

What would you advise me to do:

• go friday even with fix and have vehicle towed back
• cancel friday MOT in advance, wait till MOT expiry, declare SORN from 24 to 27, drive to Poole for MOT and service
• cancel both and declare SORN till seat back? then book again MOT + service

advice, thanks

 

[Deaky]

You could always remove it. It can't be checked if it's not there. I highly doubt it would fail for not sliding backwards or forwards and not rotating. What if it was a fixed bench seat?

Method of Inspection
2. Check the driver's and front passengers'
seats for security."

Reason for rejection
2. The security of the drivers or front passenger's seat is significantly reduced.
3. A seat back that cannot be secured in the upright position.

 

[DXX]

Hi, my MOT is due 24 jan

Since mid november, my front passenger seat has been acting up: won't slide forward backward, won't rotate anymore or might not lock
i know it's MOT failure ( Dangerous, although never passengers in this seat) so technically i can't drive it back if not fixed after MOT fail

local non vw Garage has ordered the parts (close to £800.. ) this morning (17/01) but parts might take up to 7 to 10 days. they say it will arrive ealier

tried to book earlier, but you know: waiting list to get Garage appointment (tbh, it's the 3rd time i went there for same issue still not fixed), was all december, first week of January in France, etc

MOT is a class 7 (T32, not available everywhere, especially at short notice)

I have 2 booked just to make sure i had one date (I started with VW poole, but 3 day after expiry) one fairly local in Weston Super Mare (20miles, 21/01) or one with original Dealer in Poole( 27/01)

What would you advise me to do:

• go friday even with fix and have vehicle towed back
• cancel friday MOT in advance, wait till MOT expiry, declare SORN from 24 to 27, drive to Poole for MOT and service
• cancel both and declare SORN till seat back? then book again MOT + service

advice, thanks

I’d do what ever is cheaper.
Recovery from a failed MOT to home isn’t a consideration I would make, it’s a pointless exercise.
It just checked the MOT manual, it doesn‘t mention the need for the seat to be adjustable, it just needs to be secure. I don’t know which part has failed but it can’t be so hard to make it secure.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

DefectCategory
a. A passenger seat:
i. with a defective structure or the backrest cannot be retained in the upright position
Major
ii. insecureDangerous

Since May 2018, MOTs have categorised defects as either dangerous, major, or minor. If your car or vehicle has a dangerous or major fault it will fail its MOT. You’ll be given a 'refusal' of an MOT certificate, called a VT30 form

If your vehicle has a dangerous fault it cannot be driven until that fault has been repaired, whereas major faults should be repaired as soon as possible. You are able to pass an MOT with minor faults although these, too, will need repairing.

so if i go Friday 21 , i lose driving it until 24, and pay tow recovery
on the ohter hand, i'm chickening out driving from south Bristol to Poole with expired MOT with excuse "My MOT and service are over there"...

Also do declaring SORN affect your insurance?

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

You could always remove it. It can't be checked if it's not there. I highly doubt it would fail for not sliding backwards or forwards and not rotating. What if it was a fixed bench seat?

that will fail with airbag warning also, the seat was original vw swivel captain seat

 

[$immo]

That's a good shout by @Deaky. I took mine in last year direct from a trip away, took it into MOT and still had rear Rib seat (with seatbelts) down as a double bed. They MOT'd it (main VW dealer) never made up bed into seat and showed on MOT that rear seats not tested as was a bed.

 

[Deaky]

that will fail with airbag warning also, the seat was original vw swivel captain seat

Ah, that's not an option then. Looking here MOT Test of Seats | What is checked - MOT Test Information Fore and aft adjustment is only a requirement on the drivers seat

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

You could always remove it. It can't be checked if it's not there. I highly doubt it would fail for not sliding backwards or forward

That's a good shout by @Deaky. I took mine in last year direct from a trip away, took it into MOT and still had rear Rib seat (with seatbelts) down as a double bed. They MOT'd it (main VW dealer) never made up bed into seat and showed on MOT that rear seats not tested as was a bed.

you're talking about rear seat. not front passenger seat. it can rotate almost freely, that's a fail. i even tried to zip tie it lol but no avail. it needs the new part installed, and it's a race between MOT tests, MOT expiry, and receiving/installing the part :-(

 

[DXX]

you're talking about rear seat. not front passenger seat. it can rotate almost freely, that's a fail. i even tried to zip tie it lol but no avail. it needs the new part installed, and it's a race between MOT tests, MOT expiry, and receiving/installing the part :-(

Can you drill a couple of holes and put a bolt through to prevent it swivelling?

 

[Deaky]

What about turning the airbag off on the side of the dash and removing the seat?

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

thanks, but i don't really want to "hack the vehicle or the test". i want it to pass the the right way. my question is really about should i already cancel friday MOT, cancel the VW garage MOT/Service to a later date, prepare to SORN. even driving mg to the local garage to have the base replaced without MOT is frightening to me. (I can always arrange this same day as next local MOT)

this is infuriating, i always take good care of my vehicle, feels shameful to know it will fail, and i can't make it right

 

[Shaun Witts]

I was told that a vehicle has to be tested “as presented”, so if it has no front seat (as @Deaky suggested) and the airbag warning turned off (if needed - my Highline PV doesn’t) then it shouldn’t fail on the front passenger seat and it will be legal for you to continue driving it to have the base replaced etc.
Also (can someone confirm this?), I believe it is legal to drive a failed MOT vehicle to a garage for remedial work other than just a re-MOT.

 

[Jean-Louis Bourdon]

Rebooked MOT local 2nd February, by then should have the seat fixed. will SORN (do i even have? or is it just for tax?) and in leave in Driveway from 24 to 2nd. will reschedule VW service in Poole. thanks for your advices...

 

[DXX]

I wouldn’t get infuriated it’s a piece of machinery and machinery fails.

 

[DaveD]

Can you drill a couple of holes and put a bolt through to prevent it swivelling?

That'd be my preferred option, it's easily reversible when a proper fix is available and gets the MOT sorted.

 

[Howzat]

What would you advise me to do:

• go friday even with fix and have vehicle towed back
• cancel friday MOT in advance, wait till MOT expiry, declare SORN from 24 to 27, drive to Poole for MOT and service
• cancel both and declare SORN till seat back? then book again MOT + service

You don't need to SORN when the MOT expires, so if it's still taxed and insured and parked up off a public road you can just rebook the MOT and drive it there on the day.

 

[T6Paul]

Rebooked MOT local 2nd February, by then should have the seat fixed. will SORN (do i even have? or is it just for tax?) and in leave in Driveway from 24 to 2nd. will reschedule VW service in Poole. thanks for your advices...

If it’s off the public highway, ie a private driveway then no need to sorn