MOT Advisories

[venomx]

hi.

Had my MOT last week and the advisories are 

Quote

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))
Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))
Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Is this anything that urgently needs fixing ? Thanks

[RUToyota]

IMO yes.....why risk a broken spring.?..and the potential damage it might cause.

[flash22]

Have a look at the springs the powder coat may have just come off the spring or bubbled up, post a pic or 2 if your unsure, I would be more concerned about the front bush being worn as that will affect the steering and axles, over time it may cause uneven tire wear

[venomx]

13 minutes ago, RUToyota said:

IMO yes.....why risk a broken spring.?..and the potential damage it might cause.

I thought as an advisory that it's not important ?

[Catlover]

Terry, two points. 1) an advisory is not a failure, it is a potential bigger problem in the future and needs “watching” with action in mind depending on how the problem progresses.  2) sadly some mot stations try to create business, and it can be difficult for the car owner to spot what’s what.  So well done for asking.

[venomx]

Thanks.. what exactly is the "arm pin or bush" ? Would it be expensive to have it repaired/replaced ?

 

From what I've read it's a rubber part which absorbs vibrations etc?

[Roy124]

Are Toyota springs prone to failure? I can't remember the detail but I remember Honest John saying a certain type of spring could break. 

Certainly saw the effect where the broken spring neatly split the tyre wall over its entire circumference. 

[flash22]

It’s the rubber busher in the lower arm - it dampens the forces from the suspension

The rubber degrades over time and with use

 

 

[Roy124]

Found the answer to my question, it dates back to 2012 but is reassuring :

"This is a standard type of failure with European coil springs on almost every European-badged make and model. It's not common among Far Eastern-badged makes and models, even those actually built in Europe and driven through Britain’s potholes." 

So your corroded springs might be less pro e to failure. 

[venomx]

25 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

even those actually built in Europe

Ya mines not an import from Japan as far as I know it's a European model from France

[Cyker]

Yeah for some reason the rear springs on the Mk1 and Mk2 (Dunno about 3&4) Yaris are quite common to get advisories for corrosion - I guess the back of them is unusually exposed, but then again the cars are pretty old now!

Keep an eye on them as I have rarely heard of then snapping, but generally they just start to look bad but still function. It's really easy to see them as the back of the Mk1 and 2 are so high you can easily do a visual check to see if it's just the paint flaking off and surface rust (likely), or if there is actually a crack forming in the coils (less likely).

I had advisories on and off for both Mk1s I've owned (Still don't get how I can get an advisory one year but not the next from the same garage but hey ho!)

I would imagine the springs aren't too expensive to change given how easy it is to get at them tho'.

[Roy124]

1 hour ago, venomx said:

Ya mines not an import from Japan as far as I know it's a European model from France

Which means it does not share the problem of EU car brands. 

[Stivino]

IMHO, advisories are a load on nonsense. 

I had the same advisory four years in a row from the same tester.  

I did nothing about his advice for four years as I knew it wasn't serious. 

He used to say to me, "I've given you an advisory for your brake pipes, there's nothing serious about it, I'm just telling you".

Telling me what exactly? 

[bathtub tom]

I don't recall seeing a spring that isn't rusty. The only broken spring I've experienced showed no signs of serious rust. If you're that worried about it, give it a wipe with a greasy rag.

[Puglet]

A few things to consider, age of vehicle or part and also was it decent/trusted garage, had many MOT advisories over the years some helpful from trusted independent garages and others err not so. If it seems reasonable then I usually fix it, cos you never know what next years MOT may bring!

If broken springs not common Yaris problem then it less of a worry, I had a broken spring on an old Ford years ago, but it was a common known problem and spring was visually clean. Luckily for me, it was a safe clean break, but if your unlucky they can do serious damage when they go. 

[Yaristotle]

18 hours ago, Stivino said:

IMHO, advisories are a load on nonsense. 

I had the same advisory four years in a row from the same tester.  

I did nothing about his advice for four years as I knew it wasn't serious. 

He used to say to me, "I've given you an advisory for your brake pipes, there's nothing serious about it, I'm just telling you".

Telling me what exactly? 

Oh buggеr, not the dreaded 1.1.11 (c): Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material? My dad received this last year simply because he had sprayed some Dinitrol into the rear boxmember. A bit of (seemingly innocuous) overspray landed on the brakepipe and a week or two later the MOT bod dished out said notification. I guess there are circumstances where somebody could try to intentionally disguise the fact that a brakepipe genuinely is corroded but in this case the 70% section of untouched pipework is in pretty perfect condition - he had never had an advisory previously and he had owned the car for fifteen years. As Boris might say, "Vivimus et discimus." 😐

[TonyHSD]

Mot testers together with many mechanics has not 0 but even negative knowledge about cars, they only went for a course of been qualified as “mechanic, tester” and found a job to earn their living, nothing wrong with that until you get one of those working on your car or testing it. I have seen so many bs on mot tests, it’s unbelievable. The funny thing is that they always expect the car owner (driver) to have no clue about cars but often turns to be exactly opposite. If you don’t understand cars and your car failed mot or pass with a lots of advisories, just take it to another garage, this may make a lots of difference. 

[mrpj]

In spite of my classic car being MOT exempt, I still have a MOT every year. I use a testing station/garage where the tester is an "old school" mechanic (they buy/sell classic cars too). He knows his way around an old car and uses common sense for things that a younger, less experienced tester would go fully by the book.

I remember, some years ago, an example of a "young" fresh out of tester school tester, was checking the headlights of an old classic. Many old cars have a floor mounted dipswitch. Yes, in an attempt to switch on full beam he broke the indicator stalk!

[Goinker]

........or even a floor mounted windscreen washer pump rubber button!!! (1967 Hillman Imp "Californian"), and then there's the Citroen DS with the rubber brake button on the floor!

                                    Keith.

[venomx]

Sorry for asking but what exactly in detail does the."Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush" do ?

[Stivino]

Connect the suspension to the subframe. 

[Roy124]

On 10/13/2021 at 10:32 AM, Goinker said:

........or even a floor mounted windscreen washer pump rubber button!!! (1967 Hillman Imp "Californian"), and then there's the Citroen DS with the rubber brake button on the floor!

                                    Keith.

Wow, floor mounted washer Button. A washer was an extra on my Anglia, pull a knob and then push.  The reservoir was a plastic bag, held no more than half a pint. 

Remember the Zephyr with its pneumatic wipers .  Harder you pressed the accelerator the slower the wipers. 

[venomx]

1 hour ago, Stivino said:

Connect the suspension to the subframe. 

OK so what should I look out for and at which point should I get it fixed/replaced? 

[Goinker]

Yes Roy, quite a few of the early Fords had that kind of wiper, worked from the inlet manifold vacuum if I remember correctly. Many years ago in my distant youth, I had an ex-Belgian Post Office left hand drive 2CV van, 3 speed 'Trombone' gear shift, all the 9 horsepower of a 2 cylinder 375cc engine (0 to 60 mph in 3 weeks!) and the wipers were driven from the speedometer drive cable, this being 'original equipment'! I guess it would be a 'Classic' now, but driving it in my native (and very hilly) Derbyshire was what might be termed 'interesting and time-consuming'.

                                            Keith.

[Stivino]

Some MK3 Cortinas had a pump button on the floor.  There was a ring around it that acted an intermittent switch for the wipers.