Middle brake light

[Teutonic_Tamer]

All I can say is there is a heck of a lot of bent MOT testers out there.

Quite simply, if a 3rd rear brake light is factory fitted, and forms part of the Type Approval, then it must work, and is a testable MOT item.

A failed third rear brake light also breaches Construction and Use Regulations, and will also void insurance!

[jonnym]

All I can say is there is a heck of a lot of bent MOT testers out there.

Quite simply, if a 3rd rear brake light is factory fitted, and forms part of the Type Approval, then it must work, and is a testable MOT item.

A failed third rear brake light also breaches Construction and Use Regulations, and will also void insurance!

It won't void your insurance!! It is however part of the type approved golf and in theory should be tested. The only mandatory lights are the two - left and right, hence open to a very wide interpretation. But I could t comment on anything else naturally!

[homesqueeze]

Don't know about the M.O.T side of things, but I thought high level brake lights were mandatory on all cars since a certain date. All new cars have had to have them fitted as standard for years now. 

[jamma]

After the MOT was done they took a look look at the connections and within five mins they had fixed it anyway so all lights work now 

[L17JDH]

After the MOT was done they took a look look at the connections and within five mins they had fixed it anyway so all lights work now 

I'm an mot tester and that's my understanding of reading the mot test guide.


The third brake light is just an additional brake light, as a tester we don't know it's connected. So if it doesn't work i would pass it. If less than 50% of the light didn't work I would fail it.

At the end of the day it's down to the tester.

I showed them your quote and they said ok they will pass it, thanks a lot :-)

Glad you got it all sorted now mate 

[jonnym]

Yay! Worth just keeping it working anyway!!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

All I can say is there is a heck of a lot of bent MOT testers out there.

Quite simply, if a 3rd rear brake light is factory fitted, and forms part of the Type Approval, then it must work, and is a testable MOT item.

A failed third rear brake light also breaches Construction and Use Regulations, and will also void insurance!

It won't void your insurance!!

Erm, I'm afraid it will.  OK, your own insurance will always pay out on third party damages, but if you were fully comp, you would recieve NO payout.  Virtually all motor insurance small print states that the car must be properly maintained, and kept in a road-worthy legal condition.  Golfs had 3 brakelights, only two working means it hasn't been maintained correctly - so insurance declines payout.  Or another way, you purposely snip the wires to the 3rd brake light - ins co will state you've done an unauthorised or undeclared modification = no payout.

It is however part of the type approved golf and in theory should be tested. The only mandatory lights are the two - left and right, hence open to a very wide interpretation. But I could t comment on anything else naturally!

Mandatory lights are all fitted brake lights - if three are fitted, then three should be tested.

[jonnym]

All I can say is there is a heck of a lot of bent MOT testers out there.

Quite simply, if a 3rd rear brake light is factory fitted, and forms part of the Type Approval, then it must work, and is a testable MOT item.

A failed third rear brake light also breaches Construction and Use Regulations, and will also void insurance!

It won't void your insurance!!

Erm, I'm afraid it will.  OK, your own insurance will always pay out on third party damages, but if you were fully comp, you would recieve NO payout.  Virtually all motor insurance small print states that the car must be properly maintained, and kept in a road-worthy legal condition.  Golfs had 3 brakelights, only two working means it hasn't been maintained correctly - so insurance declines payout.  Or another way, you purposely snip the wires to the 3rd brake light - ins co will state you've done an unauthorised or undeclared modification = no payout.

It is however part of the type approved golf and in theory should be tested. The only mandatory lights are the two - left and right, hence open to a very wide interpretation. But I could t comment on anything else naturally!

Mandatory lights are all fitted brake lights - if three are fitted, then three should be tested.

It won't void it in the sense the police will seize your car off you. The policy cancelled at a later stage is probably more appropriate.

Type approval vs legislation argument. The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 covers how many you need and the answer is two. Any more is fine should they comply but it is arguable whether it is an offence to fail to maintain the additional lights. The legislation doesn't make this clear, nor is there case law, so would have to go to court and they would need to consider what parliament intended by this. The spirit of the legislation would say you are correct but I don't think it's as clear cut. Clearly having them working at all times is the best way of avoiding this! Type approval as as said requires three working lights.

[Jakesangel]

Just had my M.O.T this morning and was also informed that my highline middle brake light was not working. It still passed and the guy said that it wasn't a fail as both left and right brake lights were working properly.

Just for the record even though the middle brake light is not operational your insurance WOULD NOT be voided in the event of an accident. I've worked in the industry for over 20years. 

[Tamiyoman]

If the person smashing into the back of your car did not see 2 brake lights a 3rd would unlikely have made a difference