As a tester, I Cannot fail a speedo unless it is.....
If a road test is not necessary, you should only reject a speedometer if it’s clearly not working.
The obvious time to look is comparing mileages to the previous years tests. If they are clocking up steady mileage, it appears to be working. Confirmed as I drive the vehicle into the testing bay.
Whether it works correctly, accurately, consistently is not part of the test. Just ( and this is a bit odd at 1st) , is it NOT working ?
Full test info here.
Seat belts and restraint systems, airbags, anti-theft devices, horn, speedometer, speed limiter and electronic stability control (ESC) rules and inspection for car and passenger vehicle MOT tests.
www.gov.uk
You must check the speedometer of vehicles first used on or after 1 October 1937 with a maximum speed above 25mph. You do not need to check Class 3 vehicles.
If a road test is needed, for example to carry out a decelerometer test, you must check whilst driving that the speedometer is working.
If a road test is not necessary,
you should only reject a speedometer if it’s clearly not working.
Speedometers do not need to be lit on:
- vehicles with no front or rear position lamps
- vehicles that have front or rear positions lamps that are permanently disconnected, painted over or masked
You can accept a tachograph as an alternative to a speedometer if it satisfies the requirements of this inspection.
| Defect reference | Defect | Category |
|---|
| (a) | Speedometer not fitted where one is required | Major |
| (b)(i) | Speedometer operation impaired | Minor |
| (b)(ii) | Speedometer not working | Major |
| (c)(i) | Speedometer not sufficiently illuminated | Minor |
| (c)(ii) | Speedometer not illuminated | Major |
