Failed MOT - Airbag Light (non original seat and Steering wheel)

[urquattrogus]

Febraury last year my car passed with just one advisory - Air Bag light is on.

Re test this year and of course the rules changed in April 2013.

It's a trackday car so has a bucket seat, 6 point harness and OMP non airbag steering wheel.

I plan to fit resistors in line to extinguish the light.....

Once Airbag/SRS light is off; Has anyone sucesfully passed an MOT since april with a non standard seat and no airbag wheel?????

What is my mimimum to do to pass? re fit standard wheel but surely not seat too!?

 

[Amos91]

Should pass if the light is disabled (might get an advisory if you stop the light working entirely). Doesn't actually need to have airbags.

 

[Saul]

I hope not! Mines going in tomorrow for an MOT with an OMP wheel, but my light is off (resistors).

 

[Iscariot]

Mine failed on the exact same things, airbag and serv light on, aftermarket non-airbag wheel fitted.

I had to refit the standard wheel and turn the airbag light off to pass. Bucket seat was put down as an advisory.

 

[MartinR]

Can't see it being a problem myself. As long as it has been turned off...

 

[Tony Hunter]

I thought that, if it was obvious that the car was a track car, it would pass.?

 

[Cub.]

It needs to clearly be a track car - I.e. No rear seats, ideally bucket seats with harnesses and cage.

It can't be just a swapped seat / steering wheel with the rest of the interior standard and the airbag light on.

Or find a more intelligent MOT station. Mine is due in 3 weeks and I've already spoken to the MOT station who said they would pass it with the cage / OMP wheel / airbag gone etc. My light isn't on though.

 

[Tony Hunter]

There you go then.

 

[Beasley Clio182]

As stated if the lights on its a fail!

If for example it has just a OMP steering wheel , it should fail as it's a fail if the car has obviously had a airbag removed from standard and is not presented as a track car !

track car as stated , with cage bucket seats can have them removed then it's different

 

[masekwm]

It's a stupid rule, the light is a warning light about the airbag. If the airbag is missing the light should be on. If the light is off and the airbag is missing then it should be a fail as the warning system isnt working.

 

[urquattrogus]

I have a full roll cage, sabelt seat and 6 point harness for drivers side. Also no rear seats.

I do have a standard seat as passenger seat and have left the standard front belts in.

So it sounds like resistors and slap a standard ish wheel on there....

 

[Edges]

No, for mot the light must come on then go off. Put some resistors in or have the ecu programmed to not need seat or wheel airbags. Then th light will work fine for mot purposes

 

[Alastair.]

No, for mot the light must come on then go off. Put some resistors in or have the ecu programmed to not need seat or wheel airbags. Then th light will work fine for mot purposes

Wrong, if the light doesn't illuminate atall then it's just an advisory.

 

[Edges]

No it's a fail.. An espace failed today at work for this

 

[underdog]

isnt there a modified for motorsport rule or something,? mine is due soon so hope it will pass

 

[Saul]

Right for anyone who uses the search bar about this issue, my car passed on Saturday with an OMP wheel and the Maplins resistors no issues.

 

[mikeh]

Where did you put the resistors?

Does anyone know the locations to put the resistors at the Airbag ECU end and where the Airbag ECU is?

My slip ring is broken, so it'd be nice to have a fallback plan.

 

[M.C..]

I e-mailed VOSA to ask about modified vehicles for track use I had this reply.

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry dated 12th August 2013, concerning MOT.

We are aware that the inspection of many of the new testable components may adversely impact modified vehicles. We have therefore made provision for most modifications to be accepted, provided that the vehicle is in fact extensively modified to meet a particular purpose, rather than simply modified on a whim and a fancy.

The Introduction of the 2012 MOT Inspection Manual was amended at the end of April to coincide with the commencement of testing the new components. It states:

Modified Vehicles

Where a vehicle has been extensively modified or converted, Reasons for Rejection for components missing where fitted as standard should not be applied, for example:

• a car converted for rally use (i.e. rear seats removed and fitted with a roll cage and full harness seat belts etc.) may have been converted so as not to require a brake servo or power steering

• a car converted to a stretch limousine may no longer be fitted with curtain airbags

Additionally, Section 5.1 of the Manual will be amended to state: "An adult harness belt comprising a lap belt and shoulder straps bearing an FIA, British Standard or European approval marking (an upper case ’E’ or lower case ‘e’ and a number) is an acceptable alternative to any of the seat belt types listed"

It is also worth pointing out that Section 6.2 of the Manual, on Seats and Doors, already contains a note in the Information Column which states: "Original design characteristics and specialised modifications (e.g. to enable wheelchair access) are to be accepted"

It must be remembered however, that modifications can only be accepted so long as they comply with the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 and the Road Vehicles (Lighting) Regulations 1989 as amended.

The MOT inspection manual also states:-

If an ABS or ESC system has been intentionally rendered inoperative, the whole system must be removed. However, this does not apply to sensor rings or other ABS components which are an integral part of another component e.g. brake disc or drive.

I hope this information has assisted you with your enquiry, but if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Kind Regards,

Robert Evans
Customer Service Centre
VOSA Operations Directorate
Tel: 0300 123 9000

 

[Tony Hunter]

Very good and straight forward imo.

 

[Cub.]

That is an excellent response. I'm printing it out as I type this...lol!

 

[M.C..]

That's why I saved it.

 

[Tony Hunter]

Needs a sticky really.

 

[...]

Mine passed Saturday , Sabelt wheel , resistors fitted correctly, not sure why you would not do this anyway unless lazy when you fit the wheel

 

[Jonesyuk]

where are the resistirs fitted?

 

[...]

where are the resistirs fitted?

When you remove the original wheel there are 2 cables with plugs on the end that go into the airbag on the original wheel .

The resistors are placed across the terminals of each plug, thus making the ice think they are plugged into the airbag.


View attachment 108660


mine are fitted a little better than that and then tapped over so they can't fall out , but you get the idea

 

[Alastair.]

No it's a fail.. An espace failed today at work for this

Trust me, if the light doesn't come on atall it's an advisory, saw it in black and white today on my m.o.t computer.

 

[Jonesyuk]

When you remove the original wheel there are 2 cables with plugs on the end that go into the airbag on the original wheel .

The resistors are placed across the terminals of each plug, thus making the ice think they are plugged into the airbag.


View attachment 108660


mine are fitted a little better than that and then tapped over so they can't fall out , but you get the idea

u r a star, what resisters are they?

 

[chris blue]

will it fail with just the SERV on, as the airbaglight has been resistored out i guess, and is off, on mine
SERV has been on ever since i bought the car 6 month ago, and nothing else is wrong (Oil etc)

Prob go in and ask before the MOT in a month

 

[bashracing]

Does it obviously have an airbag missing, (ie, aftermarket steering wheel) if so it will most likely fail,
if not obviously missing it will pass fine

 

[jamesycc]

as far as I'm aware all lights have to go on and off. As an MOT is a road worthy safety test all warning light must go out. Depends on your mot'er and how friendly they are.
have you tried clearing it with a basic OBD reader??

 

[bashracing]

only air bag, abs, traction control, elec power steering and tyre pressure monitoring systems lights are testable

 

[chris blue]

Thanks for replies

Yes- have aftermarket steering wheel. Last years MOT failed it under SRS light indicates a fault (Red airbag light on)
Owner then resistored out the airbag light, and it passed MOT with advisory "Warning lamp does not illuminate"

Checking the go.uk MOT website, it says that if the lamp doesnt indicate a fault, whether the lamp is there or not, it wont fail.

So am hoping the SERV light is not designated as a Malfunction Illumination light (MIL) lamp

Good idea about OBD reader, altho only one i have is Torque Pro app?

 

[jamesycc]

I would have a chat with your mot guy and he'll best advise you on what's best to do. Gives you a few weeks to sort stuff out then.

I've been using the same garage for over 10 years and there super helpful and a little more relaxed on certain things.

 

[Mbeau]

Just read through this thead(initial part is couple of years old!) Correct me if I am wrong, but no one has mentioned plugging the car into clip or rs tuner. This then enables you to disable in the airbag module the elements of the airbag system that have been removed. The airbag light then illuminates on start up and then goes out. You can use this function on rs tuner without an unlock code. I know the initial outlay is a lot more than some resistors, but I have gone down both routes in the past an RS tuner is so much easier. I have a couple of track cars with airbags all removed and have successfully used RS tuner in this way.

 

[chris blue]

if only you could get away with a bit of sticky tape....

 

[Bluebeard]

Just read through this thead(initial part is couple of years old!) Correct me if I am wrong, but no one has mentioned plugging the car into clip or rs tuner. This then enables you to disable in the airbag module the elements of the airbag system that have been removed. The airbag light then illuminates on start up and then goes out. You can use this function on rs tuner without an unlock code. I know the initial outlay is a lot more than some resistors, but I have gone down both routes in the past an RS tuner is so much easier. I have a couple of track cars with airbags all removed and have successfully used RS tuner in this way.

This is Cliosport.net, where people will ignore perfectly logical and sound advice and
instead would prefer to bodge up by jamming in 10p resistors into electrical connectors.