The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

My Boxster just failed it's MoT test on emissions & headlight aim. My current MoT is valid til Saturday...or is it?

Can I still drive my car until Saturday or is it deemed to have no MoT now?

If you check on line at DVLA it will tell you

It says it is still tested at the mo but can take up to 5 days to update.

here is an extract from an Email from DVSA when I asked that and other questions........

An MOT is still valid until the expiry date, even if the vehicle fails another test in the meantime. However, the vehicle needs to be in roadworthy condition to be driven on the public roads

Where a vehicle is submitted for test with a current test certificate and subsequently fails, the existing certificate is still valid until its expiry date so therefore meets the requirements of section 47(1) of the Road Traffic Act stated above. However again it does not exempt the owner/user from prosecution if the vehicle is being used on the road in a dangerous condition. A situation that could be exacerbated as the owner/driver is now knowingly driving a defective vehicle.


· Where a vehicle with a current test certificate having failed its test and subsequently repaired could be used on the road whether booked in for retest or not, provided it is roadworthy and it is up to the owner/user to satisfy themselves that the vehicle is roadworthy otherwise they may be liable to prosecution if it is not.

This was from 'Christine Clarke | Customer Service Centre Agent
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | The Ellipse, Padley Road, Swansea, SA1 8AN
Phone: 0300 123 9000 '

Essentially, your existing certificate is valid unless a failure item is recorded as *DANGEROUS*

Mart, when was it last serviced? I service my cars prior to the MoT and they pass the emissions part of the test with flying colours. The only other thing I can think of is an EGR valve problem (if your Boxster has one!).

Emissions will also respond to a "damn good thrashing" if used around town a lot before the mot
But i am sure you will have tried that Mart?

Tony.

I spoke with a friend (mechanic) and he said to make sure there is no outside air ingress (leaks) in the system. I had a look yesterday and it looked like there were a couple of leaks on the tail pipe section. All sealed now so hopefully that will do it.

I had a similar fail on emissions due to a leak in the exhaust system. Not only do you get exhaust gases blowing out of a leaking joint or corroded part of the exhaust, air also gets sucked in which then changes the result being gathered by the probe in the tail pipe.
Also had an emissions fail on an MX5 due to a failed O2 sensor.