Help MOT failure *UPDATE*

[Gary]

I live in N. Ireland and my 2002 DC5 has just failed it's MOT for the first time even tho it's been in the UK since 2004 because the speedo is not dual calibrated, ie MPH and KPH - is this correct??? has this happened to anyone else??? I mean my car was SVA'd nearly 4 years ago and nothin was said about this then, why not??? and if there has been a law change since then, surely it can't be retrospective, please help cos I'm fumin, and was nearly gonna punch the inspector (it's run by the government in test centres over here) if this is correct he could've at least let it go and warned me for next year :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Gaz_Ek4]

100% correct

I am from Northern Ireland and yes the speedo HAS to be dual marked or it will fail. It is not a requirement for ESVA as it is run by VOSA the english organisation. However MOT in Northern Ireland requires the speedo to be dual marked as when your drive over the border to Ireland you have to use Km/h. It has only really came in strictly in the past 2 years but is now a requirement Im afraid.

 

[Evs]

That seems very harsh :cry:

How are the speed limits marked over there? Are they 'dual calibrated' as well? :?

And just out of interest, would a MOT obtained on the mainland be legal in NI?

 

[Gary]

Harsh is right Evs................ and no the road signs over here are not dual but as Gaz rightly points out the Republic's roads were all paid for by the European Union who invested heavily in the South when they became a member state so their road signs are - but f**k me :evil:

and yes any MOT from the mainland is valid as I have been driving here on the certs I got from the South of England for 5yrs as I was living and working there, still can't believe he failed me for it, not even a heads up for next year, friggin jobsworth, but it seems the centre I chose has changed dramatically while I've been away :roll: and is now the strictest in the whole of the North, even when my mechanic who's also my old boss warned me earlier on today when I told him where I was takin it :cry:

 

[timp]

Could be wrong but is the speedo signal not electrically converted? would it not possible to put a switch in the circuit i believe the new civic has this?

 

[MilanoChris]

No, the speedo has to display both kph and mph in numbers.

Utter gash though mate :evil:

 

[Greensprout]

If you can't get it MOT'd on the mainland why not go to a graphics place and get a sticker that you can stick over it, then once it's passed take it off?

 

[Gary]

Yeah well that would be the simplest solution but not sure how it would look just stuck on the glass as opposed to the dial itself, or even if they would accept this as the glass is not flat and parallel to the speedo, and if you did go to the bother of gainin access to stick it on the dial ya might as well leave it there - but I've still a major problem either way, does anyone know where I can get a KPH decal that will fit neatly on the inside of my MPH calibrations so as not to obstruct them :?:

Any suggestions or assistance would be much appreciated :idea: - Thanks in advance lads

 

[jay82]

hey might. as far as i no the rsx has the same dails and they are in mp/h and km/h. i remember seeing them on this forum.

 

[jay82]

theres a picture off them on the rsx manual
http://www.itr-dc5.com/forum/viewtopic. ... =rsx+dails

here a picture of them in a car
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Acura-RS ... #mainImage

 

[Gary]

Just thinkin there's a brave few of these down south, anyone online who can tell me whether or not their speedo has to be dual calibrated and if so where did they or their importer get the decals???

............. and Gaz do you know of anyone in the North who can help and what of older cars that don't have dual speedos do they fail as well, I mean my car has been in the UK for FOUR yrs???

 

[logik]

Thats unreal mate. Whats the retest fee like?

 

[Gary]

Not too bad "only" £16.50 I think - not the point tho is it, f**kin power crazy pen-pushin knuckle draggin jobsworths :evil:

 

[Gary]

Didn't want to do another thread, so here's the follow on, I've found a firm who does this, and they have the software required to make the correct calibrated graphic and they also apply it for around £12, bargain eh only one thing tho I have to get the speedo off and take it to them......... anyone know how easy or awkward this will be??? I've heard there's only two screws securing the speedo to the mounting plate from below so should be easily accessible from under the footwell once again anyone who's had to do this, any info would be much appreciated!

 

[Duncs]

there are 2 cross head screws that hold it in place, there is no way to describe how to find them apart from take the bits of plastic off from around the column and then have a look from underneath and up where the dial set is look for 2 screws, undo them slide unit forward and disconnect all cables, be careful.

the plastic front of the dial set just pops off

sorry not much help, but 'its get out and have a good look' thing

 

[ally_mac]

Hi Gary

Did you get it sorted ok with that company. Yeah its a bit harsh that they fail you for not having dual markings but as you said its to do with the Republic of Ireland changing their speed from mph to kmh a few years back. My mate is an MOT instructor and he said they only started doing this in about 18 months ago due to the change of speed down south.

 

[Gaz_Ek4]

Could you give me a contact number for that company please mate or do they havea website, also where are they based?

I need this done aswell before MOT.

Cheers

 

[morgan]

Could be wrong but is the speedo signal not electrically converted? would it not possible to put a switch in the circuit i believe the new civic has this?

Absolutely agree.
I used to have an RX8 and that only had a digi speedo - e.g. it came iup in number form. It had the capability to display either KM/h or Mph but not both at once.

Given the intehra speedo has an electronic box it cant be that hard to get a switch for it ? Failing that, why not get a little guage that does show MPH or KPH ? Like a secondary dial mounted somewhere that can be removed at sale time ?

Although I do ackowledge that a sticker is easier...

 

[neilmac]

If any of you guys over there are really stuck & don`t mind a ferry trip to stranraer pm me here or on the fd2 owners site & i can arrange to get it tested here. We get quite a few cars from over there due to the way you work.

 

[Gary]

Sorry haven't been on in a while yes I got it sorted with a company called M Tech Graphics from Magherafelt but I had to get their number from an importer as it wasn't in the book and as I said I still have one spare decal - should anyone need it let me know cos it'll be cheaper and save you havin to drive up there as I had to do!