Car MOT examiner supposed to adjust headlights?

Really ****ed today because of my MOT experience. My Passat has been sitting SORN for about a year an a half and decided to put it on the market.

Booked and MOT and drove to my appointment. I was worried about the rusted break discs but it turns out they did just fine.

The biggest surprise was when the guy tested the headlights and the nearside appeared just a little too low. He mumbled something about the previous MOT examiners (which all find it OK) and decided to adjust the stupid lamp.

He takes a flat screwdriver and tries some of the wholes on the top of the headlamp in search for the correct adjustment know but with no success. He then goes back and brings a bigger screwdriver and fiddles some more until he tells me the headlight adjustment is broken and the whole headlight needs to be replaced. Well.. that's about a £200 job considering the front bumper and wheels need removing etc.

So I failed the MOT for one of the headlights pointing lower (1.0) although perfectly adjustable through the electronic knob inside the car .. but there are rules to follow. Humbly accepted the verdict and took the car to my mechanic for an inspection.

First surprise came when the used a HEX key to try to adjust the headlight since that is the correct tool to use not a flat screwdriver. Second came when he told me the lights look fine on his instruments, although the adjustment mechanism was broken. Third one came with the estimate. About £200 for parts and labor.

The question is ... Could the MOT examiner have broken the adjustment mechanism by not using the correct tool? Is he supposed to make adjustment during the MOT in the first place? I remember failing a MOT for not having washing fluid and no one bother adding a cup of water in the stupid reservoir.

I am really ****ed now!!! In all 5 years since I had the car nobody mentioned anything about the headlights and the car has been MOT-ed just before it went SORN.

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by maxinc

The question is ... [B]Could the MOT examiner have broken the adjustment mechanism by not using the correct tool?

Quite possibly, but if challenged on it I would wager he would just say "It was broken before I touched it"

Originally Posted by maxinc

Is he supposed to make adjustment during the MOT in the first place?

I dont think so no.

But in the past I have had little jobs done i.e empty washer bottle, bust light bulb, knackered windscreen wipers done by a tester during the test to save the hassle of failing the car and then re-testing it later.

I'm not a qualified MOT tester though..

Frankly I'd be a bit miffed if I failed on a blown bulb and the examiner didn't replace it. Have to pay for a retest...

Do you know if the adjuster was/was not broken before the test?

Originally Posted by simesb

Do you know if the adjuster was/was not broken before the test?

Obviously I didn't know. As a matter of ignorance, I didn't know they even exist as I though the only adjustment was on the dash. The car went through 5 MOTs in my possesion without any adjustments.

I recon you're a bit knackered there, he may well have buggered it, but maybe that would have happened to who ever tried to adjust it, but you can't prove it either way

He is entitled to adjust the headlight aim as part of the test, providing he knows how to do it. Proving he broke it would be difficult, you could always talk to the garage about it?

If the in car adjuster still works, and can lift the aim high enough, set it at the correct height and take it back for the retest.

[hindle8907]

Originally Posted by 7755matt

He is entitled to adjust the headlight aim as part of the test, providing he knows how to do it. Proving he broke it would be difficult, you could always talk to the garage about it?

If the in car adjuster still works, and can lift the aim high enough, set it at the correct height and take it back for the retest.

+ 1 ajust and retest.

The headlights HAVE to be tested for alignment with the internal adjuster on the highest setting anyway ... and yes i am a VOSA examiner

I should imagine he was doing his best to get your car through the test without you having to pay for a partial retest that most places would charge you for ... if you can do simple repairs within 1 hour of completing the test there is no fee to pay.

As for the adjuster it could well have been damaged before he touched it .. all down to honesty at the end of the day.

I replaced two headlights on a Passat yesterday its a bit of a fidly job but they are only about £60 each complete from our local german car parts specialist.

I hope you get it sorted out ok ... it least the discs passed !! recent changes say that discs cant fail on corrosion unless they fail the roller brake test or are below minimum thickness.

[Treacle]

Originally Posted by caz650s

The headlights HAVE to be tested for alignment with the internal adjuster on the highest setting anyway ... and yes i am a VOSA examiner

I should imagine he was doing his best to get your car through the test without you having to pay for a partial retest that most places would charge you for ... if you can do simple repairs within 1 hour of completing the test there is no fee to pay.

As for the adjuster it could well have been damaged before he touched it .. all down to honesty at the end of the day.

I replaced two headlights on a Passat yesterday its a bit of a fidly job but they are only about £60 each complete from our local german car parts specialist.

I hope you get it sorted out ok ... it least the discs passed !! recent changes
say that discs cant fail on corrosion unless they fail the roller brake test or are below minimum thickness.

Spot on Caz. Also why whould they take the wheel off to change the head lamp. I've changed a few Passat headlamps in my time but never removed a wheel to do so. :-/

I had a chance to spend some time with the car and I got some interesting findings.

There is a little white plastic gear that should be connected to a metal axel that goes inside the headlight. The bond between this plastic gear and the metal axel has failed.

It is unlikely that break occurred because he used a screwdriver instead of a HEX key. It could have happened for a few reasons.

1. Excessive force applied on a jammed adjuster.
2. Excessive force applied in the wrong direction.
3. Faulty adjuster / poor metal - plastic bond.
4. A combination of the above.

It is quite possible that it failed in his own hands because the fine white plastic dust seems very fresh and the metal shining, but I may be wrong.

Good new is that there is a good chance of fixing this. I cleaned the little plastic thing and refitted it with some super strong bonding glue (the stuff that comes in 2 separate tubes). I'll let it overnight to set and give it a try tomorrow.

Fingers crossed.

I think they have to remove the front wheels and bumper in order replace the headlight. That's probably why they charge labor so much. Headlight is indeed £58 + VAT.