American vehicles
Q Do test stations have the discretion to pass historic American vehicles
Name: Pete Town: Southport
A
No - They do not American imports often have dual function lamps, where the indicators may be incorporated with the position lamps or stop lamps. This aspect of the test is covered in Inspection Manual IM, under Section 1.4 Direction Indicators and Hazard Warning Lamps and 1.2 Stop Lamps.
Section 1.4 states that Vehicles first used before 1 September 1965 may have direction indicators incorporated with stop lamps, or combined with front or rear position lamps, in which case front indicators may be white and rear indicators red.
Due to the age of the vehicle in question, it will fail the test unless the rear indicators are converted to amber. The legislative basis for this requirement is contained in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 amended.
This is not the first time that our attention has been directed to red rear indicators on post-1965 American vehicles with a clear MOT test history. As we dont know what condition this vehicle was presented in previously, theres no telling whether a tester has missed anything but two wrongs dont make a right the presenter has been lucky in previous years but will have to accept that these will fail the MOT test in future.
American vehicles with red rear indicators, while not a common sight on British roads, are widespread enough that any tester not familiar with the requirements for direction indicators should be advised there is no exemption for any vehicle to have red rear indicators if it was first used on or after 1 September 1965.