MOT NI headlight washers problem

Apr 7, 2021
6
0
Hi, this is my first ever post so I’m not sure if I’m posting this right haha but I was wondering if any of you smart people out there could help.

I have a Leon FR mk2 facelift and I need a new front bumper. I want to change to the cupra one the only problem is that the Cupra has headlight washer caps. I currently don’t have headlight washers but I’m told if I get this new bumper I’ll not be able to go through MOT. The way the MOT see it is that if you have the caps on the front the washers should work. Please be aware this is Northern Ireland MOT as I know in England it probably would’ve been fine.

Thanks I’m advance.
 

Rusty2k

Active Member
May 12, 2013
709
131
I don't have any personal experience with the Northern Ireland MOT but the testing manual is online here:


Reading the section on headlights it says inoperative headlight washers are a major fault (failure) on vehicles that require them (with HID / xenon or LED headlights exceeding 2000 lumen) and a minor fault (pass and note fault) on vehicles that do not require them.

I assume as you don't have headlight washers at the moment your car doesn't have xenon headlights so the missing headlight washers should be noted as a minor fault but not cause a test fail.
 

andylong

Active Member
Jan 21, 2021
488
1
125
You don't have washers fitted so they don't have to work, well they can't. If you do have them fitted they must if the car was first used after 2009. That is England and Wales.

I understand that in NI you must have washers if you have HID or LED lights. Now if you change your bumper you are not fitting washers so they wont have to work if you don't have HID or LED headlights. You will have to secure the caps somehow and tell the testing station.

In fact give the testing station a ring, they will know
 

Rusty2k

Active Member
May 12, 2013
709
131
You don't have washers fitted so they don't have to work, well they can't. If you do have them fitted they must if the car was first used after 2009. That is England and Wales.

I would imagine the OP's plan is to fit the caps if not the whole washer mechanism rather than leave two ugly holes in the bumper so it's logical that a testing station might treat the car as if they are installed but not working regardless of whether the washers are actually present. From the point of view of a tester, cars without them wouldn't have the cutouts in the bumper for them.
 
Apr 7, 2021
6
0
I would imagine the OP's plan is to fit the caps if not the whole washer mechanism rather than leave two ugly holes in the bumper so it's logical that a testing station might treat the car as if they are installed but not working regardless of whether the washers are actually present. From the point of view of a tester, cars without them wouldn't have the cutouts in the bumper for them.

Yeah I was just gonna have the caps on but no washer mechanism behind it but the mot guys are not gonna know if it’s there or not they’ll just put it down as not working


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Apr 7, 2021
6
0
You don't have washers fitted so they don't have to work, well they can't. If you do have them fitted they must if the car was first used after 2009. That is England and Wales.

I understand that in NI you must have washers if you have HID or LED lights. Now if you change your bumper you are not fitting washers so they wont have to work if you don't have HID or LED headlights. You will have to secure the caps somehow and tell the testing station.

In fact give the testing station a ring, they will know

See I thought the same I don’t have xenon lights so there’s no need for me to have them so why should it matter if the washers work or not but the MOT here is ridiculous sometimes think I’ll have to give them call


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rafletcher

Active Member
Feb 18, 2021
531
214
If you can't get it through with non-functioning washers, then at worst you could get the bumper filled and sprayed.
 

andylong

Active Member
Jan 21, 2021
488
1
125
There's lots of things on a car that you don't have to have but if you do have them they have to work.
Front fogs leap to mind, windscreen is another on a car that doesn't have one fitted normally
 
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Reactions: JennaShaam
Apr 7, 2021
6
0
If you can't get it through with non-functioning washers, then at worst you could get the bumper filled and sprayed.

I have to get the bumper sprayed anyway so wonder how much extra it would be to have it filled


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andylong

Active Member
Jan 21, 2021
488
1
125
If the washer caps are like mine they fit flush so it's not much work to glue then in and fill around them I suppose
 

Rusty2k

Active Member
May 12, 2013
709
131
I have to get the bumper sprayed anyway so wonder how much extra it would be to have it filled

I think that makes it a no-brainer to get the holes filled then. It won't cost much more on top of the cost of a decent quality respray.
 
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