FEBRUARY 2024 AFTERMARKET 37 www.aftermarketonline.net Manager Richard Armstrong noted: “Even though other types of lighting technology have become more commonplace – these being HID Xenon lighting and, more recently, LED technology - halogen bulbs are still overwhelmingly the most common type of headlamp bulb in the UK car parc and they continue to evolve.” Testers they need to make sure to replace with the right kind of bulb though: “There are already a plethora of Retrofit LED lights, which can directly replace a halogen bulb – yet these are an anomaly in terms of allowed usage and therefore MOT conformity. The fact that LED bulbs don’t have a filament means that they cannot comply with the existing regulations for the aftermarket for bulbs for road use. The rules, drawn up in 1986, have not moved with the times to address technology advancement. “However, so widespread is the practise of retrofitting LEDS for road use that, for a while, some MOT stations were allowing cars with non-road legal Retrofit LEDs to pass their MOTs. This has, since January 2021 formally been squashed. But it does mean that a vehicle could have perfectly working lights, properly aligned and yet still fail its MOT, if it has been retrofitted with LED lights. This will continue to be the case until the regulations are updated.” Wipers Moving onto wipers, DENSO Europe, Pan European Strategic Marketing Manager Fatiha Laauich observed: “Although it’s good practice for technicians to check wiper blades at every regular service, they generally only tend to think about them when they are undertaking an MOT test, or if the owner has raised a problem with them. Very often the issue will be resolved by replacing the existing blade because it’s worn out or damaged, but there are other reasons that could also play a part, which is why they should understand the cause of the symptoms, as they are usually easy to fix. “Should the wiper blades streak, narrow marks will be left on the windscreen. The solution is to clean the edge with warm water and a little mild detergent, but if streaks still appear, then the blades will need replacing. “If wiper blades jump or vibrate, and don’t run smoothly across the windscreen, not only should the blade’s rubber edge be cleaned, but the windscreen itself will need cleaning with a purpose made glass cleaner. If after cleaning and resetting, the problem persists, the blades will need replacing. “If a wiper blade edge does not contact the windscreen surface evenly, leaving one or more unwiped spots, it’s likely to have simply reached the end of its life, in which case it will need immediate replacement.” For more information, visit: www.densoam.eu/products/wiper-blades vehicle. Director Alex Lindley observed: “EV failure rates for 2018-registered vehicles are 11.51%, lower than diesel at 15.98% but higher than petrol at 10.89%. It’s a trend seen for vehicles first registered in 2017 and 2016 too. Analysis of 2015-registered Class 4 vehicles, which had their first MOT in 2018, suggests EVs are 46% more likely to fail a MOT test on tyres than petrol vehicles, with Tesla being the brand most likely to fail on tyres. Vehicle weight and the unique torque delivery from an EV are the biggest causes of increased tyre wear.” However, while 9% of failure items on EVs are brakerelated, on diesel vehicles this rises to 21%. Alex observed: “While EV tyre failure rates are almost double that of a diesel, it’s a different story when it comes to braking. EVs do most of their slowing-down through regenerative braking. It means the brake pedal is rarely used, which is why we’re seeing a reduction in MOT failures because of EV brake friction material wearing away.” For more information, visit: www.garageindustrytrends.com Advanced Having the right equipment really counts. Explaining how the on-board diagnostic (OBD) health-check function on the SUN DGA6000 LINK can help the MOT Test process for garages, Chris Hodgson, Product and Business Development Manager at Snap-on Diagnostics and Garage Equipment, said: “This advanced emissions diagnostic system conducts a comprehensive assessment of a vehicle's emissions system automatically during the emissions testing process. “Vehicle owners often seek professional assistance when their vehicle's check engine light illuminates. If this is illuminated during the MOT test, this will result in an emissions test failure. By utilising the OBD health check function, technicians can perform an immediate scan of the emissions system to identify if there is an underlying issue that is causing the check engine light to illuminate. The fix for the issue can then be investigated further and charged separately from the MOT test. “The SUN DGA6000 LINK connected Emissions Analyser seamlessly communicates directly with the DVSA’s MOT Testing System (MTS) streamlining manual processes into automated ones for improved productivity, eliminating data entry.” Chris added: “The SUN DGA6000 LINK is available in various configurations including: standalone Emissions Tester, as well as a combination package including SUN Class IV or VII Connected Roller Brake Test or as part of MOT/ATL Testing Package.” Then there are lighting issues, which are still the most common cause of MOT failure, and one of the most costeffective to remedy, as Lumileds UK and Eire Country We have a range of sponsorship opportunities available for Top Technician & Top Garage 2024 competition and Awards Evening. For more details on how to be a part of THE competition for independent garages and technicians contact Emma Godden-Wood. Emma Godden-Wood Operations Manager +44(0) 1732 370340 emma.godden-wood@dfamedia.co.uk
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