PAS delete and MOT fail

So my 2003 172 turbo has been without power steering for 5-6 years.

That's great you might say; well not according to a recent MOT test. After several years without issues, took it to a new place for MOT as it was close to work. Much to my surprise the car failed due to defective power steering system that has been gone since at least 2019.

I thought it was stupid and funny at first as the car has no remnants of the power steering system. The tester was surprised it did not have power steering and I in turn was surpised they were qualified to work on cars. My Clio is using a manual rack from ePAS (would be shaft mounted) diesel clio. No lines, no reservoir, no pump, no backets left to even mount a pump. Certainly no warning lights on dash and the steering is in good shape otherwise.

I didn't realy take the situation seriously and just took it back to my usual MOT guy. Well now that the defect is logged we don't know if the car can pass without converting it back. He will get back to me on that. He did mention a sensor or connector to a sensor is disconnected from where it would be on a power steering rack. Its been years since I did the conversion, any idea where this sensor would be normaly?

Anyone ever come across this issue; failing MOT due to deleting their power steering? Searched the internet and other than leaking, failing pumps, or ghetto-rigged conversions nobody has mentioned any issues.

It is listed in the MOT tester guide defects page 117:

"Power steering malfunctioning/inoperative or otherwise defective. - Disconnected, inoperative or failure imminent (see note 6)
note 6: If power steering equipment is optional and has been removed with no adverse effect on the steering, no action must be taken."

i think the above might be a way out, but I don't think any clio Mk2 came without power steering. The diesels had electric assist so perhaps not.

There's a plug connection on the bit the column attaches to the rack so I'm guessing they think that's the sensor 🤷‍♂️

The power steering has been removed so they can't test for something that isn't there (that's my thinking anyways)

I have always been lead to believe if something isn't there it cannot fail. Bit like a rear wiper, if the blade is defective it is a fail but if the whole arm has been removed it is a pass...

Unfortunately I would say the Tester is correct on this one,

You could appeal the result but that could go two ways,
- The Dvsa examiner is fairly chilled and says because the tester can't prove that PAS was or was not optional, you get a pass with advisory notice

or

- The Dvsa examiner is keen and absolutely rips the cars modifications to pieces leaving you with a lot of work putting things to standard.

Nemesis-182 said:

I have always been lead to believe if something isn't there it cannot fail. Bit like a rear wiper, if the blade is defective it is a fail but if the whole arm has been removed it is a pass...

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Yes and no, if say it didn't have headlights, you couldn't say they're not there so you can't test them.

Never change MOT place if you have anything other than a bone stock car as you'll just find c***s

Coops Mk1 said:

Never change MOT place if you have anything other than a bone stock car as you'll just find c***s

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Mines looking to retire 😭

@Rob172T hope you get it sorted mate.

Owner of my go to garage retired in February. Took our X5 to another place, failed on power steering failure because 'it was heavy'.

Also an advisory on nails in two tyres.

As they're a tyre fitter and not a garage I booked it in for repairs at a garage, couldn't find anything wrong with the power steering, also couldn't find any nails in the tyres..

Waste of my time and money that was. 🙄

Some testers these days are c***s

I had one where he was gonna fail my Mrs old R56 Mini because he couldn't open the passenger door. I walked over to it and opened it instantly. f**king puff didn't have hand strength to pull the handle together

Try a more friendly mot tester, im sure you could have working pas then it gets removed 1min after the test. If not bang an epas column on it and move on.

Reminds me of presenting my extra van for an mot years ago at local garage, previously diesel and declared petrol/r5gtt carburettor engine at the time and had been mot'd a few times previously by the owner.

New tester who is keen says cant pass this as no cat. I quote 1984 engine engine so doesnt need one. Lad says its got a lambda sensor so shoud have one, lambda sensor was for my wideband afr gauge. Ten mins of arguing and the owner shouts "fcuking pass it". Never went back after that.

I'm a tester and I would say.
A. You as a tester don't know what at car came with new. You have to test it as you see it. I.e high level brake lights are not a failure as you don't need them. You don't know if it's wired in and you don't know if the car came with it.

B. They say the benefit of the doubt must be given to the vehicle presenter

Rob172T said:

It is listed in the MOT tester guide defects page 117:

"Power steering malfunctioning/inoperative or otherwise defective. - Disconnected, inoperative or failure imminent (see note 6)
note 6: If power steering equipment is optional and has been removed with no adverse effect on the steering, no action must be taken."

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Surely disconnected and completely f**king removed are two very different things 🤔

Find a place that will just pass it mate. I don’t see why it would be a big deal after having the fail on the record. The reason it failed does not represent reality. Also never go back to your usual guy, he is an idiot. You should have argued way more with him on the spot when it failed imo.