Irish Mini Owners Club

I'm planning on converting the rear light units to mk1s, but is the reverse spot lamp 100% necessary for the NCT? Because I don't really like the look of them!
Thanks ,
Dave

No I lot of people have mk2 lights and they dont have the reversing light and they pass if the light is there it has to be working

Ok thanks

You do need the reverse lamp for your nct as I failed it for not having one last year.

If the car was manufactured with a reverse light then it should have to have one for the NTC,
older cars that were manufactured without reverse lights are NCT exempt (pre 1/1/1980 are NCT exempt),
you might get a compassionate tester or maybe one who doesn't really know his stuff that will pass it but it's up to you whether you want to do it or not

Even the NCT manual is a bit vague about this....
http://www.ncts.ie/NCT%20Manual%20Revis ... 202012.pdf

scroll down to item no.59.
1st it says that "where fitted" they must work, but doesn't state that they must be fitted by law to cars from a certain year.
Then failure point no.2 says that "missing" reverse lamps is a failure.
They are sort of contradicting themselves on this one.

OP, if you are swapping over to the earlier tail lights then you could just put back on the originals for the NCT when/if they fail you....it's only a visual retest anyway, so no cost to you.

My understanding is that after a certain year cars were required to have a reverse lamp ( and fog lamp) and if its missing its a fail.
The " if fitted" applies to cars that didn't originally have these lights but they have now been fitted and must work.
The same would apply to seatbelts if fitted to early cars.

Pre 72 cars don't need seatbelts and I think the fog light came in in 82/83

Again the fog light regs are vague...simply where fitted they must work. Remember all the late '80s,early '90s Jap imports(starlets, micras etc.) that never had fog lights. I believe the fog light requirments for EU cars were simply ignored for the NCT to save these cars having to be retro-fitted with fog lights.
We have put a '94 mini through at least twice without a fog lamp (and the switch removed) and passed no problem.
The seat belt requirements do have dates shown in the NCT manual.
To be honest it's all in the NCT manual and if anyone has a problem with their car failing when they believe it should have passed simply ask to speak to the Centre Manager and ask to see where the manual states that they should have X,Y or Z fitted.

rear fog failed on mine, didnt even have 1 but still failed on the 1990 mini. its mostly down to the tester and if its just the reverse light just bolt it on for the visual retest