Does an MOT check locks?

RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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I can't lock my driver's door from the outside - the key gets stuck, and it takes forever to work it back out. So when leaving the car now I just lock it from the inside (ie leaning across the passenger side to push the button down). The car's something of a relic and I intend to get rid of it next year, so I can't really be bothered to sort this out.

It's otherwise fairly mechanically sound however, and always passes the MOT, but this problem has developed since the last test. I've found this on an MOT testing site, and it seems pretty self-explanatory:

"Both front doors must be openable from the inside and outside and all doors must latch securely."

That seems to say that that they only test the operation of the doors, which there isn't a problem with. Can anyone confirm for definite though that the locking mechanisms aren't tested, as I'd hate to fail for such a stupid little thing.
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  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    I don't think locks affect the MOT but it could affect your insurance cover!
  • RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    Oh :o Well as I say there's no problem actually locking it, just not from outside.
  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    RussellIan wrote: »
    Oh :o Well as I say there's no problem actually locking it, just not from outside.

    I have the opposite problem!
  • DahuDahu Posts: 362
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    Ber wrote: »
    I don't think locks affect the MOT but it could affect your insurance cover!

    Really? How so?

    I think insurance usually says that cars should be in roadworthy condition and a valid MOT provides good evidence for this.

    (And contrary to what a lot of people think, not having a current MOT does not usually invalidate your insurance).
  • scorpio manscorpio man Posts: 4,960
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    As long as the tester can get in and out of the car and the door catches work it will be fine.
  • camercamer Posts: 5,237
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    Dahu wrote: »
    Really? How so?

    I think insurance usually says that cars should be in roadworthy condition and a valid MOT provides good evidence for this.

    (And contrary to what a lot of people think, not having a current MOT does not usually invalidate your insurance).

    As best I know an mot is not a legal document and is invalid as such as soon as you leave the test centre but is valid for 48 hours in N.I and you are correct it will not invalidate your insurance but faulty locks will, door locks are not tested at an mot even in N.I. An mot certificate will only state that the car was roadworthy at the time of testing, not afterwards.
  • DahuDahu Posts: 362
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    camer wrote: »
    As best I know an mot is not a legal document and is invalid as such as soon as you leave the test centre but is valid for 48 hours in N.I and you are correct it will not invalidate your insurance but faulty locks will, door locks are not tested at an mot even in N.I. An mot certificate will only state that the car was roadworthy at the time of testing, not afterwards.

    An MOT is for sure a legal document (try getting a road tax disc without one).

    My insurance policy just says that the car has to be in a roadworthy condition. It's debatable if a car with faulty locks is roadworthy, but I would say it is.
  • camercamer Posts: 5,237
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    Dahu wrote: »
    An MOT is for sure a legal document (try getting a road tax disc without one).

    My insurance policy just says that the car has to be in a roadworthy condition. It's debatable if a car with faulty locks is roadworthy, but I would say it is.

    An mot certificate is only valid until you leave the test centre and thats it but like you stated it will allow you to tax the car but the car could be pulled for a fault 5 minutes after it has left the test centre and the testers have no responsibililty for the safety of the car once it has left the test centre so it is in effect a useless document that means nothing other than a ticket to a tax disc.
  • davidmcndavidmcn Posts: 12,086
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    Dahu wrote: »
    Really? How so?

    I presume the comment was in relation to claims for theft (though it sounds like the OP can in fact leave the car secured).

    Anyway, locking isn't relevant to the MOT - just latching i.e. being able to open and close the door.
  • Tom_TitTom_Tit Posts: 6,336
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    Depends who does the MOT for you.

    I have a dodgy handbrake but mine still passed it's MOT.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,146
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    RussellIan wrote: »
    I've found this on an MOT testing site, and it seems pretty self-explanatory:

    "Both front doors must be openable from the inside and outside and all doors must latch securely."

    Hi OP - reading the above quote, in my opinion, doesnt mean the locks need to work - the opening and closing of the doors relates to the handle mechanism for releasing the door catch and the bit about the latch means the doors stay securely closed (not locked).

    im sure there someone on here who either a current or ex MOT tester but i cant remember who? (or am i getting mixed up with someone else??)
  • scotty22scotty22 Posts: 1,182
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    probably an advisory
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,864
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    Geordiesi wrote: »
    Hi OP - reading the above quote, in my opinion, doesnt mean the locks need to work - the opening and closing of the doors relates to the handle mechanism for releasing the door catch and the bit about the latch means the doors stay securely closed (not locked).

    im sure there someone on here who either a current or ex MOT tester but i cant remember who? (or am i getting mixed up with someone else??)

    Your interpretation is partially correct Geordiesi.

    Providing the tester can get in and out of all the doors and none of them fly open when he's moving the car from the ramp to the brake tester, he doesn't care if they can be locked or not.

    However, if he gets to the car and discovers he can't unlock the driver's door to take it to the ramp, that could be a different story; I've not met many MOT testers that would walk round the other side of the car, then lean over both seats, just to give the owner the benefit of a pass certificate.

    So, the answer to the OP's question is, it's not a problem, providing you leave the driver's door unlocked, when you drop it off for the test.

    The Golden rule is, if the tester has to put himself out, it's going to fail.
  • camercamer Posts: 5,237
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    scotty22 wrote: »
    probably an advisory
    that only applies to an English mot which in the real world are not worth the paper they are written on.
  • Flyboy152Flyboy152 Posts: 14,656
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    Locks are covered on the MOT test, but generally speaking it is normally a concern if the doors do not open/unlock. However, it will be up to the examiner to decide whether the fact that the doors do not lock represent a risk to the roadworthiness of the car. He or she may decide, as the door does not lock, there maybe a risk that it will lock and will be unable to be re-opened.
  • BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    Dahu wrote: »
    Really? How so?

    I think insurance usually says that cars should be in roadworthy condition and a valid MOT provides good evidence for this.

    (And contrary to what a lot of people think, not having a current MOT does not usually invalidate your insurance).

    Because if you have your car stolen or broken into and the insurance company finds out the locks on the car were dodgy then they might not want to pay out!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,146
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    Rebel MC wrote: »
    Your interpretation is partially correct Geordiesi.

    Providing the tester can get in and out of all the doors and none of them fly open when he's moving the car from the ramp to the brake tester, he doesn't care if they can be locked or not.

    However, if he gets to the car and discovers he can't unlock the driver's door to take it to the ramp, that could be a different story; I've not met many MOT testers that would walk round the other side of the car, then lean over both seats, just to give the owner the benefit of a pass certificate.

    So, the answer to the OP's question is, it's not a problem, providing you leave the driver's door unlocked, when you drop it off for the test.

    The Golden rule is, if the tester has to put himself out, it's going to fail.


    aaaaah Rebel!!!! i knew there was someone always posting in the car topics with me!!!! im determined to remember your username from now on and have a cunning plan - everytime i begin replying im gonna hum the rebel MC street tuff song, hopefully that will work :D


    OP are you saying its unlocked permanantly or does it lock from the outside ok (but not unlock)??
  • Flyboy152Flyboy152 Posts: 14,656
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    Rebel MC wrote: »
    Your interpretation is partially correct Geordiesi.

    Providing the tester can get in and out of all the doors and none of them fly open when he's moving the car from the ramp to the brake tester, he doesn't care if they can be locked or not.

    However, if he gets to the car and discovers he can't unlock the driver's door to take it to the ramp, that could be a different story; I've not met many MOT testers that would walk round the other side of the car, then lean over both seats, just to give the owner the benefit of a pass certificate.

    So, the answer to the OP's question is, it's not a problem, providing you leave the driver's door unlocked, when you drop it off for the test.

    The Golden rule is, if the tester has to put himself out, it's going to fail.

    It has nothing to do with the convenience of the MOT examiner, it is to do with the roadworthiness of the car.
  • Miles_TMiles_T Posts: 2,519
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    Tom_Tit wrote: »
    Depends who does the MOT for you.

    I have a dodgy handbrake but mine still passed it's MOT.

    It can't be that dodgy else it would have failed. They told me mine was very near the pass\fail border.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 597
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    No it doesn't matter about the locks. I had an old Clio i couldn't lock either side (someone tried to break into it and damaged them) and it passed it's MOT fine, no advisories etc.
  • Waj_100Waj_100 Posts: 3,739
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    Regarding the original question, read this.....scroll down to doors....

    http://www.ukmot.com/6-5.asp#Text_top
  • soulboy77soulboy77 Posts: 24,396
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    From my understanding it's latching not locking that the MOT checks:

    As long as the door latches - i.e. no-one can fall out when driving along

    And unlatches - i.e. no one can be trapped inside especially in an emergency
  • Flyboy152Flyboy152 Posts: 14,656
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    Waj_100 wrote: »
    Regarding the original question, read this.....scroll down to doors....

    http://www.ukmot.com/6-5.asp#Text_top
    This inspection does not apply if no driver's or front passenger's doors were fitted as part of the original design of the vehicle.A lack of door handles because of original design characteristics or specialist modification is not a reason for rejection providing the door can be latched securely in the closed position.

    This could possibly be open to interpretation, depending on the opinion of the examiner.
  • RussellIanRussellIan Posts: 12,034
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    Thanks for all the contributions everyone, it has put me more at ease. I take on board Flyboy's point about examiner's interpretation, but the feeling I get from the garage that has MOT'd the car for the past 4 years is that I should hopefully be OK with it. If not well, that's my fault for being a lazy hound.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,864
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    Well, I also wanted to know the full answer, so I asked the chief tester and quality controller at our test centre and it's very simple.

    Locks are not part of the test and it doesn't matter if you have to lean in from the other side to unlock the door; providing the doors can be opened from inside and out, whether the locks work or not, is irrelevant.

    The only way the lock would become relevant, is if it jammed in the closed position, making it impossible to open the door; even then, you wouldn't fail because the lock was faulty, only because you couldn't open the door.

    So that, for me, is the definitive answer.
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