aftermarket seats and steering wheels w/o airbags

[jamie16v]

It's a bit of a grey area as it does state in the manual that cars modified for a specific purpose are exempt. So if it's essentially a track or race car it should be OK.

Nick

oh, right,ive been serching the vosa site, not finding much at the moment though 

Do you have a link Nick?

+1

[Horney]

Here's the 2012 testers manual in full: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20Inspection%20Manual.pdf

5.4 page 1 is about airbags etc and actually it seems there is no exemption. Best bet is to call your regular MOT centre and have a chat with a tester.

Nick

[richw911]

Here's the 2012 testers manual in full: http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/repository/MOT%20Inspection%20Manual.pdf

5.4 page 1 is about airbags etc and actually it seems there is no exemption. Best bet is to call your regular MOT centre and have a chat with a tester.

Nick

Thanks bud 

[jamie16v]

1.
As far as practicable, check that all airbags fitted as original equipment are present and not obviously defective

goes for the seats, perhaps not the steering wheel?


Reason for Rejection
An airbag obviously missing or defective.
Note: A passenger airbag that has been switched off is not a Reason for Rejection
i dont think it is "obvious" that the seats had airbags from factory..

[jamie16v]

the only thing i can think of doing to keep my seats legally is to mount the airbags (properly) (weld brackets ect) onto the B pillar as for the steering wheel then it`s no option but to retain the standard wheel 

[jamie16v]

i`m sorry to bring this post up again, but i have been dredging google for the past two days..
from what i have read, some of the rules they cannot implement without certain equipment. that said it would be easy for them to test for the airbags ect.
just curious, but when did it become compulsory for a car to have a drivers airbag in the uk?. i think they shouldnt be able to imlement this rule for cars registered before this rule was brought out ect, that would make more sense as it would obviously cost cars already altered a small fortune to put right.. (perhaps thats their plan)
like seat belts for example, cars registered pre (not sure the date, 1985?) didnt require rear seatbelts so werent tested..
cars pre 1993 arent tested  for catalytic converters ect ect. 

[Dave_IOW]

I would have thought that if you took the seats out, with airbags in, then they wouldnt actually fail it as the seats in your car (sparco etc) dont have airbags in the first place.

Hard for me to describe what i mean but, i would define 'missing' as an OE steering wheel, without the airbag inside it, not a different steering wheel that didnt ever mean to have them in there in the first place, not having the standard one in there.

I would have thought it sort of means;

If it has gone off, must be replaced and ready to fire again.

If someone has changed to a R32 steering wheel for example (which has space for airbag) you couldnt have an empty space behind where it should be?

And call Me/friendly MOT testers taking £20's idiots/fools/irresponsible but regardless of the law, its always going to happen, and now, probably even more..

[jamie16v]

i just popped down to my local mot/performance centre, the guy there said that nothing has popped onto his desk as of yet about "actual changes" and suggests that the changes may only apply to cars registered `post` to when the rule is introduced.
he suggested that i go ahead and fit my steeering wheel and keep my seats and to make sure that no malfunction indication lights are illuminated...
all i say is, i will be taking my car to him when the time comes..