MOT failure today - learned something new

[Cluck]

F-Type went in for its annual service and MOT today and it failed the MOT




It's my own fault for not removing the stickers, but it's not that a tiny part of the A is covered, it's because there's no space between the sticker and the edge of the plate. I had never heard of this, but in case you have put stickers on your plates for driving abroad, rather than replace the plates, just remember to remove the stickers before your next MOT.

Even the dealer was surprised, as they said that if they'd known beforehand then they would have checked it was OK to peel them off before it went for the test!

 

[cj10jeeper]

Unfortunately the rules are really strict on spacing of letters and amount of border, be that edge of the plate, or stickers. Much of this is to catch people changing fonts, spacing, etc.) but everyone gets caught up in it.

For most plates it's 11mm clear space, with a few variation on older plates, based on when actually fitted. Copious detail in the gov website pdf:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6694e379fc8e12ac3edafc60/inf104-vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates.pdf

I know this too well as in the family we have several 5 digit short plates, all mm perfect to be legal. To have the clear space on my electric BMW, the green sticker is trimmed to leave the 11mm, or it would need to be a much wider plate

 

[Cluck]

The spacing and font (and font size) I've been aware of for a couple of decades, it was the 'outside space' that I had no idea about. Just annoyed that it didn't get picked up during the service, but if this is the worst MOT failure I ever get then I'll be happy!

 

[Anonymous]

On one hand. Rules are rules I guess.

On the other hand, I like to think if I was the MOT tester I would of finished the test, made a 30 second phone call to confirm, peel off the sticker be done with it.

 

[scm]

F-Type went in for it's annual service and MOT today and it failed the MOT

Something else you can learn is that the possessive form of "its" doesn't take an apostrophe - it's only needed for a contraction of "it is" (simple rule to follow!).

 

[Cluck]

F-Type went in for it's annual service and MOT today and it failed the MOT

Something else you can learn is that the possessive form of "its" doesn't take an apostrophe - it's only needed for a contraction of "it is" (simple rule to follow!).

Arrrrgh, it's a measure of how tired I was yesterday that I did that. I hate making stupid mistakes like that and normally catch myself in the act before posting!

And to SimpleR, yeah, you would have thought that's the approach they would have taken but no, it got flagged as a fail, the car went back to the dealer, they called me, took the stickers off then went back to the testing station and got a re-test. I suppose the only thing that annoys me, aside from my own stupidity, is the big fat FAIL on the MOT record now. I'm not planning on selling the car, I just don't like that it's there. You live and learn.

 

[scm]

F-Type went in for it's annual service and MOT today and it failed the MOT

Something else you can learn is that the possessive form of "its" doesn't take an apostrophe - it's only needed for a contraction of "it is" (simple rule to follow!).

Arrrrgh, it's a measure of how tired I was yesterday that I did that. I hate making stupid mistakes like that and normally catch myself in the act before posting!

A lesser man would have blamed auto-correct! You are a man of honour, sir.

 

[cj10jeeper]

The tester is not authorised and it’s illegal to make any changes or repairs to the car, purely to assess it for faults as presented.
I get it. Change a wiper blade, replacement light bulb, fit a new tyre, weld it up a bit. It’s a slippery slope regardless of perceived severity and we’d soon be shouting about them fitting expensive parts to pass the car.

What if the car was presented by the DVSA or the tester randomly assessed and then warned or suspended…

Perhaps the garage could have been smarter and called the dealer before the test, or a mechanic done it before passing the car to the tester.

All aside I do feel for the frustration of a ‘fail’ now on the record for ever.

 

[Anonymous]

At least it is explainable, minor and shows as passed straight after.

Mine picked up a minor monitor warning at 4 years old for worn bush on nearside lower control arm. Both lower control arms were replaced and 4-wheel alignment done under Jaguar extended warranty a few months after the MOT so the next MOTs are all clear and I have the Jaguar invoice and paperwork to show it was replaced and cared for.

 

[Cluck]

Unfortunately the rules are really strict on spacing of letters and amount of border, be that edge of the plate, or stickers. Much of this is to catch people changing fonts, spacing, etc.) but everyone gets caught up in it.

For most plates it's 11mm clear space, with a few variation on older plates, based on when actually fitted. Copious detail in the gov website pdf:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6694e379fc8e12ac3edafc60/inf104-vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates.pdf

I know this too well as in the family we have several 5 digit short plates, all mm perfect to be legal. To have the clear space on my electric BMW, the green sticker is trimmed to leave the 11mm, or it would need to be a much wider plate

I do wish the info in that link was published on the main government MOT inspection manual, that is the first hit in Google results - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/0-identification-of-the-vehicle. There is no info in there about the UK flag section and the positioning and it's not clear that there needs to be 11mm between the lettering and ANYTHING else around it, only 11mm to the edge of the plate.

Also, given the images on the sticker manufacturer's own site show the sticker right on the margins, it's no wonder I wouldn't have realised - https://travelspot.co.uk/product-gbtouk.html

Yes, I accept that my car failed and it's my own fault, but who here has read every line of the MOT to make sure your car isn't going to fall foul of something like this, especially when there is conflicting, or inprecise info directly from the government on it.

Lessons learned and all that.


Oh and no, I wouldn't have expected the MOT tester to have removed the stickers, but it still strikes me as daft that the dealer took the car back to the dealership, called me, removed the stickers at my request and then had to wait for another slot at the test station .....