Failed nct number plate lamps working but not the same intensity

782378

I just failed my NCT as result of my licence plate lamps not being of the same intensity. A few months ago one of the lamps wasn't working and I got it replaced with a genuine lamp from a Ford garage. Now I am told it doesn't match the intensity of the second light and failed my NCT because they don't match. Looking with the naked eye I can't see any difference. Is there a machine that checks the intensity at the NCT centre. I thought the guy was winding me up when he told me.

Has anybody ever heard of someone failing the NCT for something so stupid?,
Is this a genuine fail?
Do I now I need to get two brand new lamps to ensure an equal intensity and how much should this cost for a ford Smax?

sawdoubters

change both lights

Gumbo

782378 wrote: »

I just failed my NCT as result of my licence plate lamps not being of the same intensity. A few months ago one of the lamps wasn't working and I got it replaced with a genuine lamp from a Ford garage. Now I am told it doesn't match the intensity of the second light and failed my NCT because they don't match. Looking with the naked eye I can't see any difference. Is there a machine that checks the intensity at the NCT centre. I thought the guy was winding me up when he told me.

Has anybody ever heard of someone failing the NCT for something so stupid?,
Is this a genuine fail?
Do I now I need to get two brand new lamps to ensure an equal intensity and how much should this cost for a ford Smax?

Change the bulbs?

colm_mcm

You could put some of that Sellotape that isn't quite clear over the new one?

That's assuming both the bulbs are the same and weathering on the old unit is making it less bright.

Could just be a bad bulb too.

Did you find out the reason the other unit needed replacing in the first place? Water?

BorneTobyWilde

Put two dim bulbs in, that will teach him

dougie-lampkin

Item 61, Registration Plate Lamps, is now a Fail Advisory item.
Failure of this test will not result in overall failure of the vehicle.
The owner/presenter is to be advised of the Fail Advisory item
and urged to have it repaired as soon as possible.

Number plates lamps are a fail advisory, you didn't fail the NCT because of them. Were you not given a cert, or was there another failure reason?

782378

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

Number plates lamps are a fail advisory, you didn't fail the NCT because of them. Were you not given a cert, or was there another failure reason?

Ok, I didn't fail but I didn't pass , I need to replace bulbs even though both are working and to the naked eye both look the same. Just letting off steam here, annoyed that I failed for this reason. I had all lights checked before test and was advised all were fine.

delly

782378 wrote: »

Ok, I didn't fail but I didn't pass

Eh, seriously..... it has to one or the other like

782378

delly wrote: »

Eh, seriously..... it has to one or the other like

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

Number plates lamps are a fail advisory, you didn't fail the NCT because of them. Were you not given a cert, or was there another failure reason?

There was no other reason, I didn't get a NCT cert as result of 'lamp intensity difference', I need to get bulbs replaced and show them they have been replaced before they give me a NCT Certificate. It is called 'fail/refusal on the form, or fail advisory as advised by dougie-lampkin.

dougie-lampkin

But it's not a failure. It's a fail advisory. That just means they're advising you of the problem, but the car hasn't failed. If it was just the number plate lamps, you should have been given the cert. You're right to be ranting, as it's not a failure item! A word with the centre manager should get you your cert, there's no reason to go messing with the lamps and getting a retest done when it's not a failable item.

George Dalton

Quote from the NCT manual which you can download from www.ncts.ie

Item 61, Registration Plate Lamps, is now a Fail Advisory item.
Failure of this test will not result in overall failure of the vehicle.

Furthermore, if you read Item 61, the registration plate lamps are not checked for equal intensity, the only reasons you will be given a fail advisory are if the lights are:

1 Not working, faulty or not fitted.
2 Not white in colour.
3 Lens missing or broken.
4 Showing direct (not reflected) white light to the rear.

So I reckon the OP is either a wind up merchant or else has misread the fail sheet.

Fozzie Bear

Both of my license plate lights were not working (blown fuse) the day of my NCT and I still got a cert with just an advisory to fix them....

You got a fail advisory and no cert? Something not right there.

782378

George Dalton wrote: »

So I reckon the OP is either a wind up merchant or else has misread the fail sheet.

Or OP isn't a wind up merchant, didn't misread the fail sheet and somebody messed up at the NCT centre!

George Dalton

782378 wrote: »

Or OP isn't a wind up merchant, didn't misread the fail sheet and somebody messed up at the NCT centre!

The tester can't simply put whatever they want on the fail sheet. They need to pick from the list of failure reasons in the NCT manual.

So it is impossible in my opinion for them to have failed your number plate lights for not being of equal intensity since that is not part of the test.

Any chance of a photo or scan of the relevant section of the report sheet?

heroics

When I went for my NCT last summer one bulb was not working on my reg plate and guy just said it to me I should get a new bulb. passed and got cert so seems like someone made a mistake

tin79

782378 wrote: »

Or OP isn't a wind up merchant, didn't misread the fail sheet and somebody messed up at the NCT centre!

Scan the fail sheet and let it be conclusive either way. You put up a scan or a smartphone pic and the NCT messed up. No scan no dice.

782378

tin79 wrote: »

Scan the fail sheet and let it be conclusive either way. You put up a scan or a smartphone pic and the NCT messed up. No scan no dice.

Attached, find scan of the results, The guy advised that lights were different intensity and I won't get cert until this is corrected, both lights are working fine and looking at them to the naked eye, both are white lights and there is no difference in intensity.

pippip

I'd read into that that your have a problem with your rear lights being different not the registration plate lights.

slimjimmc

782378 wrote: »

Attached, find scan of the results, The guy advised that lights were different intensity and I won't get cert until this is corrected, both lights are working fine and looking at them to the naked eye, both are white lights and there is no difference in intensity.

Section 27 is not your number plate lamps, it's the other rear lamps (tail lamps).

782378

slimjimmc wrote: »

Section 27 is not your number plate lamps, it's the other rear lamps (tail lamps).

The tester said it was the registration plate lamps, and he higlighted the words 'registration plate lamps' on the form with yellow highlighter when he gave it to me but you are right, the report suggests it may be the other rear lights. Think I'll have to give them a ring.

mickdw

Is there an obvious defect with your tail lights?
If not and the defect is obviously with the reg plate lighting and he has highlighted reg plate lighting on the fail sheet, I'd be in there looking for my cert.,

biko

I was once failed after putting a too bright light into the regular rear lights.
It kinda looked like I was applying the brakes (on that side).

GTE

slimjimmc wrote: »

Section 27 is not your number plate lamps, it's the other rear lamps (tail lamps).

What could the "registration lamps" mean in that case?
I do not mean what is in the Description section by the way. I mean the report looks like section 27 is rear lamp and registration lamps.

listermint

I got a fail refusal on registration lamps last time out. Everything else was bang on and i got the cert. However being quite the picky prick about how my car is kept i went out and checked straight away. Both lamps were perfect. And they were perfect before the test also. (im really pedantic about the car being kept well)

I was going to go back in to him but the queue was long and i had work to get to.

dougie-lampkin

Section 27 in the manual is just for rear lamps (i.e., tail lamps). Go back to the centre and ask them to show you where in Section 27 on the manual it says number plate lamps are a fail.

slimjimmc

bbk wrote: »

What could the "registration lamps" mean in that case?
I do not mean what is in the Description section by the way. I mean the report looks like section 27 is rear lamp and registration lamps.

I've no idea why registration plate lamps are there, it's seems strange especially since registration (number) plate lamps are explicitly covered by Section 61 and can't possibly be included in Sect 27 as every car would have to fail due to item 3 "Not red in colour".

Also Stop lamps and Rear Fog lamps are Sections 26 and 58 respectively so that means Section 27 is for the red tail lamps only.

I suspect one of the tail lamps is either too dim (blackened bulb / faded reflector) or too bright (21W bulb fitted instead of a 5W or a Stop 'n Tail bulb inserted wrongly). From what I see the latter is fairly common.