Irish Mini Owners Club

Alright lads how are things?

My father's 1988 mini was in for an nct this morning at 9 so I went with him for the spin. The fella had it in for ages and was looking in every single nook and cranny and finally came out with a fail sheet. He failed it on the seats being "insecure" and he said the back of the front seats needs to be bolted to the floor. We argued with him for a while and explained that the seats have not been modified in any way and that they only mount at the front and obviously they lift up to allow people into the back seat. We told him this is how it came out of the factory. He told us it was unsafe and nothing he could do.

Can anyone offer advice on what the story is here? Has anyone every experienced this while testing their mini and is it even fair?
We were not impressed one bit as the mini has had a complete nut and bolt restoration.

Cheers in advance fellas.

Zakgt had this problem with his Cooper.The problem is the amount of play in the seat movement. The legs at the rear of the seat tend to compress the carpet and even dent the floor allowing for some movement before the lock engages with the bar. We put a plate on the floor at these points and it tightened everything up, make sure there isn't too much slack in the two front bolts as well. Like you said the car was manufactered this way so he can't fail it for not being fixed solid but he can fail it for being worn or loose. Make sure there are no cracks in the seat frame allowing it to flex too much.

woody wrote:Zakgt had this problem with his Cooper.The problem is the amount of play in the seat movement. The legs at the rear of the seat tend to compress the carpet and even dent the floor allowing for some movement before the lock engages with the bar. We put a plate on the floor at these points and it tightened everything up, make sure there isn't too much slack in the two front bolts as well. Like you said the car was manufactered this way so he can't fail it for not being fixed solid but he can fail it for being worn or loose. Make sure there are no cracks in the seat frame allowing it to flex too much.

Thanks for your reply woody I appreciate it.

Hi I had a similar problem call the NCT help line explain what happened they were good in sorting it out

Tighten it up and book into a different test centre... Had problems with one tester before on a vehicle... Said all undersseal had to be removed... Said he hit floor with bar was solid but wanted chassis cleared.. Asked him was he not able to hit it... Some times it just depends on the mood or how busy they are... If they have more time they will find stupid things to fail you on... I booked into another centre and passed no problem... Good luck

I've never had an issue with NCT in Drogheda and presume thats where Benny was tested. Any time they failed my car it was a legitimate fail that was sorted and passed. Bennys problem is a legitimate fail eventhough not all inspectors may pick up on it(he was proberbly trying to get at the rear belts, I always leave the rear belts in the closed position for test so they just look in instead of trying to get in the back). I think the NCT computer gives the tester a set amount of time to test a car which is about 40min for the mini. I have seen my testers standing around talking to other testers or killing time poking around and looking at every part of the car.

Woody is right about closing your rear seatbelts. I had a car fail on a visual recently because the rear seat belt stalks were pushed down behind the seat.

woody wrote:I've never had an issue with NCT in Drogheda and presume thats where Benny was tested. Any time they failed my car it was a legitimate fail that was sorted and passed. Bennys problem is a legitimate fail eventhough not all inspectors may pick up on it(he was proberbly trying to get at the rear belts, I always leave the rear belts in the closed position for test so they just look in instead of trying to get in the back). I think the NCT computer gives the tester a set amount of time to test a car which is about 40min for the mini. I have seen my testers standing around talking to other testers or killing time poking around and looking at every part of the car.

I have never had an issue in Drogheda before woody and I usually take my own cars up there but on this occasion my dad booked the test for his mini and got a cancellation which was for Dundalk so we had to take it as it was the nearest date by a few weeks. I personally have never taken my own cars to Dundalk. I have heard way too many bad stories about it. Thanks for all the help though lads much appreciated hopefully we can get her sorted soon.

Hi guys. I also recently had my NCT. Most of the stuff it failed on was legitimate but one thing they failed it on was not having an auxiliary switch for the front four spots. The car has never failed on those before. They are dual bulb spots so when the low beam/dipped headlight is on only the small bulbs are illuminated but when the high beam is on the four main bulbs turn on. Anyone got any advice as to whether they were right to fail it on that or not?

Cheers

Driving lights fitted by Rover never had a seperate switch and my own Equinox passed several NCT without one. Front fog lights do have a switch and only come on with dips and legally should only be used in fog hence the switch . Are your spots dual focus like a dual headlight and what wattage are the bulbs?

Yea they aren't fogs. Each of the four spots is like a dual headlight so there is a small bulb which is 5watt (I think) which is on when the dips are on and when the low beams are on and then the other bulb is 55watt i think and they only come on when the high beam is on. The previous owner had these spots on the car for years and it was never an issue with the nct .

Where did u test it after. I hope not in enniscorthy. They wouldn't pass my 00 mini until I took off the spotlights even thought they were on the car when built. Pack of idiots up there

Here is the NCT manual
https://www.ncts.ie/pdf/NCT%20Manual%20July%202014.pdf
Page 32 is for aux lights
The test is that the switching mechanism is operating correctly and that the spot lights only operate with the main beam.
No. 7 of the reasons for failure.
Switch defective or does not operate lamp independently of side light.
This does not state that the switch has to be independant of the main beam switch.The main beams do operate indepentently of the side light.
You need to go and talk to them again and if nessessary bring a Rover wiring diagram of the spots.
What year is your car?

I got it tested in waterford. When they left the car back to me my brakes weren't working either even though they were perfect going into the test and the guy didn't say a word. Realised there a few days ago the split pin holding the brake arm going into back of the master cylinder had sheared and the pin had fallen out. Yea woody so the car is 1990. When my low beams are on the small bulb in each spot is on and then when i put on my full beams the main spots come on. So the main spots do work independently of the side lights as you said. I am getting it re-tested in Tallaght cause I am up in Dublin now so I am gonna drive out there and just ask them about it. I'll bring the wiring diagram aswel thats a good idea.

Thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it!!

Joe

Do they test emissions on a 1980? had a look but it wasnt clear in the manual?

Sorry its 1990. I must have typed 1980 by mistake. Yea they tested emissions but it is based on the emission limit for the year of manufacture.

I have a 91 civic and all they do is rev it to make sure there is no smoke. They don't put the thing on the exhaust for emissions.