MOT fail for headlight self-level with AirRide

[Lone Wolf]

Took van for mot last Thursday and inspector said sorry but it has failed.

Said it had failed on the headlamp self levelling no longer working with the bracket at the back Due to the VB air system I had fitted.
told him it passed ok the last two times but he said that the MOT procedure had changed now so it’s a bit of a pain.

Ringing up VB air they were good to chase it up as have told the VW Garage it’s incorrect as it has its own self levelling system.

VW have told VB Air that I have to bring it back down and they will print out a new ticket with a pass.

They haven’t rang me yet like they said they was going to do to arrange a new appointment.

The problem is it has taken all this time for them to admit they were in the wrong and I Haven’t been able to technically drive the van since Thursday and was supposed to have gone away in my camper for the weekend

I Have now got the aggravation of having to find time and take it back down there and also the van is only 5 years old with a history now of a fail which don’t look great.

would any of you ask for compensation of some sort and what would you ask for?

Many thanks Brad

 

[Loz]

I don't quite follow the explanation.
the VB air is self levelling, I get that, so are they saying that the headlight levelling is then disabled and locked and the headlights manually adjusted?

 

[Gavinda]

Ask away, I think there's more chance of Putin winning a Nobel peace prize but you've nothing to lose!
The trouble with an MOT is that it comes down to an individuals opinion, VB air is a fairly niche product and likely not seen by many testers so they can only make a judgement on what they see, in this case a safety critical part seemingly not working. I can see why you're annoyed but at least you can be sure the tester did a through job.

I don't quite follow the explanation.
the VB air is self levelling, I get that, so are they saying that the headlight levelling is then disabled and locked and the headlights manually adjusted?

I think VB's stance is that their sytem keeps the van level at all times regardless of load which negates the need for the vans original levelling system.

 

[Lone Wolf]

They are saying the headlamp levelling device inoperative.

VB Air sent the relevant paperwork and VW have admitted they got it wrong.

I wouldn’t mind but think VB air is the only suspension approved by vw?

 

[Sackmycook]

They are not 'inspectors', they're 'testers' and are only as good as their knowledge of systems and updates to regulations.
Thats the lottery aspect!!

 

[Gavinda]

I don't see why they need you to make an appointment to take the van in, if that was the only failure item and they're now happy that it no longer constitutes a fail then surely they can submit the amendment and post you the new certificate?

 

[Loz]

They won't want to lose face, so I bet they have to retest and do a headlight alignment test...

 

[Lone Wolf]

I was hoping that also ?

I rang them this morning and was told that the service manager dealing with it would ring me back but no one did.

Getting straight on the blower in the morning but find it a poor show that I am having to chase them up

test...

Yeah but at my cost!

Thanks Loz

 

[Gavinda]

I was hoping that also ?

I rang them this morning and was told that the service manager dealing with it would ring me back but no one did.

Getting straight on the blower in the morning but find it a poor show that I am having to chase them up

Poor show - yes
Surprising - no

 

[Shaun Witts]

I must admit that I didn’t realise that having VB Air would disable the auto headlight adjust. I can still see my headlights cycle through the self-test adjustment when I start my van, and the “travel” mode lowers the aim OK. But I suppose that the auto adjust system does become a bit superfluous when the suspension always keeps things level.

 

[dubber36]

The suspension won't level the van when it's cresting a hill or at the bottom of a dip. That's when the headlights do their thing, as well as lowering the beam when the rear is loaded.

 

[Gavinda]

The suspension won't level the van when it's cresting a hill or at the bottom of a dip. That's when the headlights do their thing, as well as lowering the beam when the rear is loaded.

Are you sure the headlights can do that? I'm not saying they can't, but how would they know they're coming to the crest of a hill as opposed to mid way up?

 

[Loz]

I thought we discussed this ages ago and determined that the self levelling only adjusts once at ignition on?