Question for UK/Euro Oppos.

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
07/20/2015 at 14:00 • Filed to: None

Do you need a rear wiper to pass an MOT if your car was originally fitted with one? My friend had his stolen and needs to MOT before the replacement arrives. Obviously some cars don’t have them at all and they pass, so I’d assume this would?

Thanks guys.

DISCUSSION (34)

dogisbadob > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:03

Kinja'd!!!

ooo white steelies

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:05

Not sure about the UK, but in Norway the rule says that if a car had something fitted from the factory it must be in working order during our equivalent of the MOT.

Klaus Schmoll > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:07

In Germany you need to have a working rear wiper if the car had one fitted as standard. Not sure about the UK.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh
07/20/2015 at 14:08

Hmm. Maybe if we delete the motor and cap the hole they might ignore it. The low spec of this car didnt have one.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > dogisbadob
07/20/2015 at 14:08

Indeed.

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:10

I don’t know how accurate the info is but;

Q. The rear wiper on my car doesn’t work, will it fail the MOT test?

A. No. The rear wiper is not checked as part of the MOT.

http://www.motchecklist.co.uk/mot-faqs.html

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Klaus Schmoll
07/20/2015 at 14:10

Thanks, I might just pass by a garage tomorrow to be sure.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Tareim - V8 powered
07/20/2015 at 14:11

Thanks, hopefully that’s right otherwise it’s a trip to the junkyard.

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:14

I would like to think it is as there are so many cars on the road that don’t have them it would be pretty crap to fail a car for having one not working, though lately they have started adding things like if fitted it must work etc...

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Tareim - V8 powered
07/20/2015 at 14:16

Yeah some others mentioned the if fitted it must work thing. That’s what I’m worried about.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:17

Nope, this is the last thing anybody will check about. I mean front wiper OK, but the rear is a non-issue.

dogisbadob > Tareim - V8 powered
07/20/2015 at 14:19

The Civic ricers sigh with relief!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
07/20/2015 at 14:19

You’d think so, but our government isn’t known for their common sense...

dogisbadob > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:19

Not British, so not sure if it’s required, but regardless, it’s still useful and you should get one anyway. I wish ALL cars had a rear wiper!

thebigbossyboss > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:26

Then again neither is the Labour party opposition.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:28

I just don’t think any inspector, who is overwhelmed by work and checking evry other part that can actually lead to a huge disaster, remembering to check rear wiper. I mean if you check everything every test should take 2-3 hours. I will go and just cross my fingers.

Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders > dogisbadob
07/20/2015 at 14:28

Before I started reading Oppo/Jalopnik I had no idea that most sedans in the US don’t have rear wipers. The only car I knew about with an optional rear wiper was the 911. Still don’t understand why though

davedave1111 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:28

http://www.motuk.co.uk/default.asp - I’m pretty sure it’s still kept up to date.

As far as I can see, it’s not checked at all.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:28

I’d think if you can get a blanking plug for where the wiper used to be you should be ok. But Google will know for definite.

My 205 had broken reversing lights but that wasn’t part of the mot. Bizzare what’s allowed.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > dogisbadob
07/20/2015 at 14:29

Well most sedans don’t need them. There is no much dirt that can shoot on the rear window, so the only problem is when it rains, but again, it is not as much as on the front, so visibility stays good.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:29

It’s worth a shot for sure.

thebigbossyboss > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
07/20/2015 at 14:31

Especially as it’s trim specific.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
07/20/2015 at 14:32

The Norwegian equivalent to the MOT should probably take 2-3 hours as well.. I’ve never seen it take more than 45 minutes.. Kinda scary though, what do they actually check, and what important stuff do they give a flying toss about.

dogisbadob > Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders
07/20/2015 at 14:32

US-market Evo sedans have the rear wiper

Smoggi - powered by 3 cylinders > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
07/20/2015 at 14:39

I’m pretty sure the rear window in a sedan get’s about as much rain as the front window. But I guess if drivers don’t use their mirrors anyway you don’t need to see out the back

jkm7680 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 14:42

Can’t he just get a council MOT and possibly get away with it?

Tareim - V8 powered > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 15:10

well there is always the free retest should it fail on just that

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 19:24

The system changed recently for MOTs here and I believe it’s gone to ‘if it’s fitted, it must work’. Even an engine management light on these days can fail an MOT, even if there is no fault found.

Some ignore certain issues if you say it's getting sorted and they may ask you to pop in in a few days to check it's done just for their own piece of mind that they don't get their MOT testing status removed.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
07/20/2015 at 19:47

That’s a shame then. A rear wiper isn’t exactly vital safety equipment...

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
07/20/2015 at 19:49

Yeah there doesn’t seem to be a lot of common sense involved.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > jkm7680
07/20/2015 at 19:50

I’m not sure what that is.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > dogisbadob
07/20/2015 at 19:51

We have one ordered already. That said I barely ever use mine. Back window is vertical so water runs off and not much gets kicked onto it.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
07/20/2015 at 19:58

You might get away with it. I've seen a couple of cars with them deleted and they passed. I think it's a grey area that's open to interpretation but worth checking out with the garage before hand to see how they interpret it. It's the new EU guidelines they've brought in. It's confused the situation a little.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
07/21/2015 at 07:33

Yeah I might have to go by the garage and ask them before we take it in.