MOT failure....Emissions warning light

747tech

747tech

Member
Latest raft of updates re. Mot regs have resulted in the possibility of my A2tdi being taken off the road.

The emissions warning light is on so test fail....

Any comments/help much appreciated.
 
I would have your car scanned to find out why the EML is on. It may hopefully be a very easy fix such as cleaning out the EGR valve.
 
747tech said:
Latest raft of updates re. Mot regs have resulted in the possibility of my A2tdi being taken off the road.

The emissions warning light is on so test fail....

Any comments/help much appreciated.
Click to expand...
What was the MOT fail emission figure if they tested it? - Andy
 
It’s not the right approach I know, but resetting the EML on mine makes it go away for between 50 and 500 miles. So I’ll reset when I next drop it off for it’s MOT!!
 
My petrol 1.4 has had it on for 2 years and 2 mot’s so far too, but next year I’ll have to fix it due to the new testing criteria. It’s always passed emissions fine but EML light is on due to poorly lambdas I think.

Also they will fail for any leaks of any kind now l believe.

Tony.
 
Here they will fail the car if the light is off but errors are stored. They will also ask what has been done to rectify the cause of the light..i have been on the end of this.

Misfires are enough.

- Bret
 
So, I'll take my same stance again … where does it say the car will FAIL if the EML is on? I still can't find it...
 
https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Section-8-Nuisance.html

scan down the page - it is the last item before the itemised lists of major defects for both petrol and diesel engines. Note - however - the date restrictions for petrol and diesel - as this could be a critical detail bearing in mind when A2s were available new.

(excerpted - petrol)
Engine malfunction indicator lamp
Turn on the ignition and check that the engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminates and then goes off. On some vehicles it will be necessary to start the engine before the MIL goes off.

You need to inspect MIL fitted to

  • petrol vehicles with 4 or more wheels, not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2003
  • petrol vehicles with 4 or more wheels, more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2008
  • gas and bi-fuel vehicles with 4 or more wheels, not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2008
Kit cars, amateur built vehicles and American pickups are not required to be fitted with an engine MIL.

(diesel)
Engine malfunction indicator lamp
Turn on the ignition and check that the engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminates and then goes off. On some vehicles it will be necessary to start the engine before the MIL goes off.

You need to inspect MIL fitted to diesel vehicles with 4 or more wheels and first used on or after 1 July 2008.

Kit cars, amateur built vehicles and American pickups are not required to be fitted with an engine MIL.
 
The MoT failure level for emissions is unchanged at 3.0 isn't it, so once you've got rid of the warning light hopefully you'll be ok.
 
Based in what Robin has posted, a diesel A2 cannot fail the MOT for the MIL being on as they were all first used before 1st July 2008. However, depending upon the age of a petrol A2, the MIL being illuminated on a later car, i.e. post 1st July 2003 will result in a fail.

So the OP should not be concerned about the MIL as long as the measured emissions are less than 3.0.
 
I think it's critical though as to what level of "FAIL" this would lead to, ie MAJOR fail - not roadworthy or MINOR fail - roughly equal to old advisories.
 
Probably the biggest issue at the moment is that since the update to the MOT regs, most people just regurgitate "MIL=Fail" having heard it on the grapevine without the subsequent detail regarding construction dates and differences between fuel-type. Certainly until I looked this up this morning I was unaware of the qualifiers, which is why I've highlighted them above as it is something that isn't clear unless you look it up.
 
The way the motoring press reported on the revised test suggest any warning lamps will result in a fail so Robin's extract on engine emissions is good to know

Cheers Spike
 
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