Combined sidelight/indicator - Automatic MOT fail - WTF?????

[Prothed]

Obviously if you were a sad, bitter and twisted individual you could spend years searching for the ideal profession, or just go straight to MOT testing. (Present company excepted of course, just in case...)
Took the Charger for testing yesterday. Chap comes back - 'Nice car, nothing wrong with that, but it's an automatic fail of course, with those lights'.
According to him, section 1 of the MOT manual requires separate white sidelights and amber indicators for post-65 cars. Fair enough, but not easy if the car only has a single combined lamp.
He was unimpressed by the twenty previous MOTs. They were just proof that other testers don't do their job properly .
(He also failed the rear indicators - apparently having an amber light in addition to the original red indicators is forbidden, they must be instead of. But this is an easy temporary fix).

Anyway, questions -
Has anyone else had this issue?
What was the fix?

I'm just going to cable tie some old bike indicators to the bumper to get a pass from cheerful charlie, but making up an LED 'bulb' that's half white, half orange and replacing the original dual-filament sidelight bulb could be a neat solution. Legal, who knows?
Bah.

[GJUK]

My dart has red indicators only on the rear, they're part of the brake light system as per the US.

[JinxJay]

Try Google / eBay and search "switch back Dodge challenger"

That's what I have and it's a very neat solution.

[SOMtastic]

My Barracuda has – or had – dual filament indicator bulbs when it was imported in June.
To get through the MOT and UK homogolation they did the following :

The headlights needed changing anyway to point in the correct direction ..
The replacement units have side-lights built in whereas I don’t think the originals did.
So all they did was run the side-light circuit from the dual filament indicators to the new head-lights .. leaving the indicator circuit where it was.
So the indicators are still dual filament, but the side light circuit disconnected.

For the rear indicators – they just put orange bulbs in the reverse-lights.

I’d get some little DRL leds and stick them somewhere discrete – then wire from the side-light circuit. You could even put in a switch some where to switch between sensible and officious inspector mode

As for a half white half orange bulb – that would be neat … but looking at modern cars with similar.. the white bit turns off when the indicators are on and that could be trickier to engineer.
Then again that might be for DRL .. who knows.

Good luck !

[GJUK]

I would change your MOT guy.

[Mick]

So would i, you need someone who understands classics, not just any mot guy.
Contact Paul R on here, he works for VOSA on the mot side, he will fill you in on what's actually needed.
Also here's a thread Miles posted re changing your rear lights.

http://www.moparuk.com/forums/viewtopic ... highlight=

[GJUK]

I was told headlights for mopars (my car at least) are flat beam and do not need changing. I've never had anyone flash me.

Just leave it as is and find a flexible MOT guy.

[Dave-R]

On my Challenger I fitted headlights with sidelights as already said.
But I left them connected to the amber lights too.

However I also fitted a switch so that the amber lights could be switched off if I got any problems with a jobsworth MOT or Police Officer.

Best of both worlds.

[Dave81]

I would change your MOT guy.

First thing find a local place and put it straight back in without touching it........see what the outcome brings!

Bit like Doctors......if your not sure of the first, always get a second opinion!!

[RobTwin]

My dart has red indicators only on the rear, they're part of the brake light system as per the US.

You've been getting away with it then!

Only pre-65 (or earlier? never can remember the exact year) cars can get away without amber indicators...

[Pete]

September 65 is the cut off for red rear indicators.

[MilesnMiles]

I also got pulled by old bill in my Buick. Just change them and avoid the hassle. On my Roadrunner I left the combined amber indicator/ side light set up as just indicators: snipped the side light feed wire and wired it up to two small white side lights in the front grille.
I checked the constructions and uses reg in some depth. Front side lights can be as small as 1" square, must be symmetric etc.had no hassle with mine for MOT, old bill etc..

[GJUK]

The car gets away with uite a lot!!

[Mick70RR]

My car has been MOT'd by five different testers at three MOT stations and they all passed the standard American lights.
If I go to a different garage I always check with the tester that he's happy with the lights first.
The problem you have going elsewhere is it will probably show up on the computer that your car has just failed on the lights.

[Bryan]

mine has just passed with what came from the factory (1968) . As said, i think you need to find a guy who's sympathetic. Why didn't you use the garage who's previously done the mot's??

if you do want to change it, you can try these.

http://www.brightlight-customs.co.uk