NCT - Light alignment - again!

Mcdopus

Hello

i have my NCT this afternoon - one of my lights is at the correct level, the other one points at the floor cos the reflector inside the unit has become detached.

Now, I know i have to fix it properly, but with the NCT this afternoon, does anyone know if this will fail?

i.e. do both lights have to be pointing at the floor equally? Or can one point in the right direction, and the other at the floor.

As far as I know, as long as neither is pointing too high, or too far left, i'll be fine.

Any help would be nice.

Peanut2011

Mcdopus wrote: »

Hello

i have my NCT this afternoon - one of my lights is at the correct level, the other one points at the floor cos the reflector inside the unit has become detached.

Now, I know i have to fix it properly, but with the NCT this afternoon, does anyone know if this will fail?

If you know it's incorrect and needs to be fixed than you know it will fail.

Mcdopus

I wrote, "any help would be nice"....

If I knew it would fail I wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

You're clearly missing the intention of my message, which asks, hopefully people with experience, if they KNOW if it will fail considering that one points in the correct direction, and the other at the floor.

If you don't KNOW or have any useful input, why bother replying?!

_Kaiser_

Save yourself the €50 (or whatever it is now.. more?) + retest fee and get it sorted then go get your NCT done

_Kaiser_

Mcdopus wrote: »

I wrote, "any help would be nice"....

If I knew it would fail I wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

You're clearly missing the intention of my message, which asks, hopefully people with experience, if they KNOW if it will fail considering that one points in the correct direction, and the other at the floor.

If you don't KNOW or have any useful input, why bother replying?!

To be fair, if you're saying one is setup right and the other isn't and you know (I'm assuming, or have checked the items they test on the website) that alignment is one of the things they check, well then it's pretty obvious it'll fail as it is.

Peanut2011

OP, the light failure is a fail and it is not a caution therefore the lights will need re-testing and you will have a fail on NCT until rectified. The only help anyone here can offer you is to tell you to bring it to local mechanic to have it fixed but I would assume you would know that anyway.

I was only pointing to you that it will be fail and you will need re-test as it has to go on the machine again.

If you post "I know it's faulty but" what do you expect.

Sorry if you did not find it helpful.

Mcdopus

I guess that's some sensible advice.

I think what I'm getting at is that the NCT test doesn't always follow logic.

So, even if they are out of alignment, but arent pointing too high or too far right, will it pass?

Despite common sense saying they should be aligned...

yop

Mcdopus wrote: »

I wrote, "any help would be nice"....

If I knew it would fail I wouldn't have asked the question in the first place.

You're clearly missing the intention of my message, which asks, hopefully people with experience, if they KNOW if it will fail considering that one points in the correct direction, and the other at the floor.

If you don't KNOW or have any useful input, why bother replying?!

You asked the question and he responded, yes it will probably fail, you said it yourself that you need to fix it.

Have a little manners, it will go a long way.


From the NCT site
"Light Test:
The light test measures the alignment of the light beams for pitch and direction. This test is computer-controlled."

maximoose

Get it fixed, you will fail and it is not a visual re-test so you'll have to pay €28 quid to get it tested again.

Mcdopus

yop, I was just trying to keep it on topic and not end up as another thread with no actual answer

So now I have the best possible I could ask for, it will probably fail, I'm relatively happy

Have a wonderful day.

Yawns

OP yes it will fail. While the low and to the left rule is a safe guideline, it will not work if one light is clearly not aligned correctly. If you keep both lights at about level with the opening of the bonnet on the setting number 0 , then generally you will pass. If one is there and the other is down too low, it will be a high chance of a fail.

As others have said it's not a free visual re-test but rather a €28. I'm usually one for putting a car through the NCT and if something needs fixing, then at least you have a list. However I also advocate putting it though while doing everything that should be done anyway. Lights checked, working and aligned. Tyres at correct pressure and so. My advice is to fix it now and fix all the little things you know is wrong with it. Then send it in to be tested.

Mcdopus

Yawns, thats beautiful, just the information I was looking for.

macnab

Is the car a VW Polo? a workmate had a Polo fail for this reason. We found that the bracket on the lens had broken so we made up some springs from welding rods that kept the lens pressed into place. We had to adjust the light beam direction by hand but it passed the test.

Mcdopus

nope, its a fiat seicento.

When I changed the bulb, the big shiny silver part of the light unit, i'd call it the reflector, but I might be wrong, came loose inside the actual headlight unit.

In the mean time, i've used a bit of wire to hold it in the correct place, and am taking it down the garage in a short while to see if its alligned enough.

Yawns

if you know how to align the light by hand then go to Lidl or somewhere witha big white wall when it's dark. Line up against the big white wall and have the lights on 0. Have the top of the lights level with the opening of the bonnet. Back the car away a bit slowly and stop a few meters away. Ensure lights are still around the level of the bonnet. Drive back closer towards the wall. If they aren't shining up into other drivers eyes or out to the sides, then it may pass. I've done this with any cars for NCT and not a bit of trouble with light alignment.

The main concern is what happens if you hit a bump and knocks the light alignment back out of place. During daylight you won't notice but the test will pick it up and it will be a hazard at night time. It will still need to be fixed properly and soon as I am sure you know and will do.