MOT failure!

[spikenipple]

What a lovely surprise, my valver has failed the MOT on TWELVE points! 

1. Coil needs securing (cable tied on as the retaining nuts behind the scuttle panel aren't fixed, so when you take it off you have to remove the whole panel to secure it on again nnhgnhg)
2. N/S rear shock has a serious fluid leak
3. ABS light not illuminating (because the bulb is unplugged, can't really afford to replace sensors...)
4. N/S steering rack gaiter split
5. O/S steering rack gaiter split
6 & 7. Steering rack insecure
8. O/S CV boot insecure
9. N/S rear wheel bearing has excessive play
10. O/S rear wheel bearing has excessive play
11. O/S rear subframe mounting point excessively corroded
12. Parking brake efficiency below requirements

So what I want to know is, how hard is it to get to the steering rack to 1) secure it properly and 2) change the boots?
Any tips on tricking the ABS light into playing nice for a day?   

[Jasikasisback]

the mot has become stringent....apparently you cannot remove the abs unit
if it came with the car originally.. this makes no sense as there are a lot of cars without abs (my golf does not have it, but the passat does) the gaitors you can do yourself...but the abs will require checking the codes with vagcom and replacing what needs to be replaced plus the bulb... sometimes the handbreak can make life interesting...there is arecent post about abs so take a look...

easiest solution-next mk3  you buy make sure it does not have abs, electric windows, air conditioning and pre 1996 so not a rust bucket...my friend has a 1992 golf and the bodywork is better than on my 1997..

this will probaly be a cheaper solution in the long run..

you will then have less headaches and bigger bicep muscles:)

can't give advice about steering rack...dunno

[vwwvgolf]

not sure if it will work but if you poke the abs bulbs back down there hole and find a car without abs or air bag and get the blank from there and swap it with yours there will be no area which should light up.

from what ive heard, as long as all the lights for abs ect light up and go out, it should pass.

if it looks like there is no where to light up nothing can light up and go out??

i may be very wrong tho

[Jasikasisback]

a soon as the mot guy lifts the bonnet he/she will notice the abs unit
and then they will have to decide what to do next...so considering the multitude of faults already mentioned his mot guy was no very friendly...must of been halfords or quik fit

[stainesy]

I put a nicely cut bit of black insulating tape over an abs light on one of my old mk3's few years ago and it passed MOT 

[spikenipple]

I don't really know what to do about the ABS thing to be honest, I'll get VCDS on it later and find out if it actually has faulty sensors or if the bulb has been unplugged (by the previous owner by the way) for any other reason. The rest will be pretty easy to sort out but I'm not sure how awkward it'll be to sort the steering rack out.

[thai-wronghorse]

Steering rack boots are fiddly but quite doable on these without a ramp as i did both of mine for the MOT last year.  If the rack is lose is guessing the mounting bush is knackered.. which is an arsehole to change from what I've read.

[spikenipple]

Well, bugger. I was hoping it was just a couple of bolts or something 

[boneybradley]

are you missing this point??

11. O/S rear subframe mounting point excessively corroded

I would look into that first, It may only need a patch but knowing mk3's it could be major!

[Jasikasisback]

I loved growing up in Ontario, Canada..if you never sold the car to someone else it never needed an equivalent of a MOT and this is still true today...hence no yearly MOT!

Here's the rule in Ontario:

What is a Safety Standard Certificate (SSC)?

An SSC is a certificate that is issued by a government- approved Motor Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) after a vehicle passes an inspection. This inspection covers the minimum safety requirements for vehicles in the province of Ontario.
When do I require an SSC?

An SSC is required when:

    registering a rebuilt motor vehicle;
    transferring a used motor vehicle to a new owner as fit;
    registering a motor vehicle in Ontario that was previously registered in another province or country;
    changing the status of a vehicle from unfit to fit.

And do you think there are any more accidents or unsafe cars on the road in Ontario, Canada?

Thank you Big Brother..for taking £50 some odd quid every year just to tell me that my car is safe to drive..