Did You Know

[teenmal]

The towing socket test is to become compulsory in an MOT test in the very near future .

Cheers..

[missfixit70]

Do you mean the electrical socket or the towing socket?
I thought the towing socket already was checked as part of the MOT, in as much as they check that it is securely/properly fitted?

[mikexgough]

Yep...the electrics will be tested as of 1/1/12 with one of those plug in tester jobs... Currently they check the tow bar condition and mounting in the MOT only....

[MAZABON]

and so they should be

the amount of trailers i have seen without lights working and bodged up reg plates!

[teenmal]

The towing socket test is to become compulsory in an MOT test in the very near future .

Cheers..

They will use something like this.....TECALEMIT DE7210 MOT APPROVED TOWING SOCKET TESTER.....or similar

Cheers..

[mikexgough]

Just phoned my buddy....,he's a MOT tester & has his own garage premises..... he said he has had no official notice yet as as such he says it has not been absolutely set in stone, about the 12N sockets (what most of us use)......... at present he says it's to do with the EU 13 pin sockets.....and a visual check on the 12N........ BUT he would not be surprised if the VOSA Mafia adopt a test for 12N sockets.....
He said they have already had tool suppliers around pimping 13 pin socket testers ....I shall not give his absolute opinion here....

[teenmal]

Yep...the electrics will be tested as of 1/1/12 with one of those plug in tester jobs... Currently they check the tow bar condition and mounting in the MOT only....

Hi Mike can you confirm this date..

Cheers..

[missfixit70]

and so they should be

the amount of trailers i have seen without lights working and bodged up reg plates!

Don't think the mot will extend to the trailers though....yet

[mikexgough]

Yep...the electrics will be tested as of 1/1/12 with one of those plug in tester jobs... Currently they check the tow bar condition and mounting in the MOT only....

Hi Mike can you confirm this date..

Cheers..

That's the proposed start date but you know what it's like with Govt ......subject to change.....the 13 pin check is already being done on the Controle Technique in France...so I guess the UK is playing catch up again.....How long before we join the rest of the EU with the new registration plates...

[mikeonb4c]

and so they should be

the amount of trailers i have seen without lights working and bodged up reg plates!

Don't think the mot will extend to the trailers though....yet

spot on

[briwy]

Trailers have to be certified in France as well, not sure if they are tested with the CT test but they have to be type approved.

So presumably no home made jobbies in France.

[Alacrity]

In my opinion trailers/caravans & their electrics should be tested, as mentioned earlier you see as many trailers with poor/non working electrics as you do good ones. Plus how many accidents/near misses happen every year due to wheels parting company from the trailer due to bearing failure - especially on boat trailers where they are immersed in water on a regular basis. The trouble is, were this to happen in the UK, the powers that be would go overboard & make the test far too draconian so it would be very unpopular.

[maxi_77]

Don't get too smug out here in Portugal trailers caravans etc are all registered tested etc. With some justification I can see this spreading, as pointed out there are far too many dodgy things being towed around in the UK

[mikexgough]

Had a chat with my pal today when obtaining my 13 months test.... yep get in done a month early....again straight through no advisories...4 clean MOT's since import in 2007

And while I was there he was saying th 12N/S sockets have not been mentioned by the VOSA mafia.........only the 13 pin ones....he showed me the bit of kit they are pimping for garages to buy....the test has been suggested to him is plug in ......check the lights...pass or fail...simple..

[missfixit70]

It's not a 13 month mot though is it? yes you can get it early, I always do this, but it still runs from the same date, so you still only get the same 12months ticket The risk is, if it fails, that you effectively shorten the previous mot, seems to be a grey area, not been able to get a definitive answer on that one.