Seat removal - MOT

[Ricky]

Took my car in for MOT today. I have no N/S/R seat belt fitted so I have removed the seat that side aswell. Spoke to the garage owner and he thinks it will fail because the seat has been removed..

He is wrong isn't he? I'm sure there are plenty of cars that are stripped that go through MOT's.

[Toms306]

Is the owner an MOT tester himself? If not, ignore him and find the tester lol.

I can't see anything wrong with it personally, though I'm sure they'll realise why you're doing it and pay close attention to the arch rust.

[C.A.R.]

I've asked this when waiting for tyres to be fitted and the bloke I asked said he would pass a car that had been stripped of its seats no problem - it's clearly been removed for weight saving. If it's just a normal car (ie full interior) but missing one seat it might raise a bit more suspicion though!

[Ricky]

Hmm, but they can't remove interior panels to look though can they? I have covered the hole up and if you look up into the arch they have got dirty and it blends in well! Hope they don't poke around, will cost a fortune to get that done :/

[Toms306]

No they cant remove interior panels....but if they get a torch up in the arch from outside it could be pretty obvious. Mine was easily visible from outside, but yours may not be.

[Ricky]

Well after I cleaned it all up I used flashing tape which is bitumen backed, so it's black and all the crap from the road has stuck to it and it blends in well! I do need to get it welded tbh, but now is not a good time.

[Dum-Dum]

I think 1 seat removed is cheating and will be frowned upon. That said they cant fail you for removing your spare wheel because it has a flat tyre.

[Ricky]

Ah. Now i'm even more nervous :/

[Toms306]

Maybe keep the seat and fit a baby seat there (if you have one!) I'm pretty sure they cant remove baby seats to check belt operation as I've seen that as an advisory a few times....

[mikey b]

If the whole rear seats are removed it will be fine as the rule with an mot is if there's no seats ya don't need seat belts so can't test them you will prob get an advise

[Ricky]

It's just the one that's removed.


Can only pray!

[mikey b]

Should be ok just try it

[Ricky]

Too late its already there waiting! Hate MOT time..

[DazzaHDI]

Has it already gone for MOT? Or is it tomorrow or something? Couldn't you take the other seats out if it's not gone for MOT yet?

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Just read first post properly! Ignore my comment

[Connor]

You can test the seatbelt if a babyseat is there, if the buckle is accessible then its still testable

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Oh just to add, all you really needed to do was remove the rear bench and fold the seats down flat

[kentiiboii]

Maybe keep the seat and fit a baby seat there (if you have one!) I'm pretty sure they cant remove baby seats to check belt operation as I've seen that as an advisory a few times....

They fail or advisory now I think.
Best bet is to take all the back seats out.

So if it just phase2 and estates that didn't come with rear arch liner?
There seems to be so many rotten atm

[Ricky]

I think all but the very late estates didn't have a N/S/R liner, I tried fitting an O/S one with no luck.

Well the tester wasn't happy with the removed seat, but it didn't fail/have any advisory because of it. It did fail on N/S ball joint dust cover missing, and airbag light came on so the resistors must have come loose. Nice easy fix.

Although I swear my N/S track rod is knackered because there is a lot of play there, but they missed it..

[Toms306]

Yeah, it's only the ph3 hatches that all come with a full liner there, a few of the late estates did but not many.

The ph1's don't either, but they rust in so many other places that people never really mention the rear arch on them.

[procta]

I think 1 seat removed is cheating and will be frowned upon. That said they cant fail you for removing your spare wheel because it has a flat tyre.

tbh dum dum, I think some testers don't even bother to check the spare wheel. My spare tyre is f*cked, the alloy is spot on, but the tyre has had it, due to some sad bastard putting a screw thru it, It was sent away and repaired by a specialist, due to where it was. The tyre was only a few miles old at the time too. its wont hold the air in now, i am waiting on getting the funds up to replace all 5.

[7057sam]

I think 1 seat removed is cheating and will be frowned upon. That said they cant fail you for removing your spare wheel because it has a flat tyre.

tbh dum dum, I think some testers don't even bother to check the spare wheel. My spare tyre is f*cked, the alloy is spot on, but the tyre has had it, due to some sad bastard putting a screw thru it, It was sent away and repaired by a specialist, due to where it was. The tyre was only a few miles old at the time too. its wont hold the air in now, i am waiting on getting the funds up to replace all 5.

I thought they check you have a spare present not the condition? ?

Silly I know