nct refusal of test

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 5:44pm #1

spent 800 euro getting my diesel car ready for the nct. had the test booked 3 weeks before nct expired. took the car for the test on a sunday evening i believe i was the last appointment of the day. tester took car in and 5 mins later came back out telling me he could not finish the emmissions test and i needed to see a mechanic and rebook, gave very little information other then if he completed the test the engine would be damaged. he then refunded me my money as he hadnt passed or failed the car due to incomplete test.he gave me no fail sheet etc. i assumed the worst taught something major was wrong with car. took it to mechanic next day he told me could not find anything wrong no engine light no faults etc. i doubted him so went to another mechanic he said the exact same that he could not understand how the car was not test worthy. he suggested i book into another test centre and see what happens. so i booked into cavan today and absolutely no problems whatsover completing the test. car failed on a bulb of all things. my question is how can one centre deem a car untestable and then another can pass it with absoluetly nothing done on the car between both tests. im fairly pissed of between waiting to see mechanics and rebooking test ive now missed a month of my new cert

3 Owls in a Coat · 04-04-2024 6:06pm

Do nothing.

You have a test.

The NCT tested most likely gave you a reason why he couldn’t test it but you either didn’t listen or haven’t revealed it. The fact that one of the first things you mentioned was that it is a diesel car probably has something to do with it.

You doubted your first mechanic and went to a second so there is something amiss there.

You can test your car from 90 days of the due date so even though you have lost a month, you can gain 3 on the next test.

Check your lights before you go for the next test. Or just check them anyway because it’s good to have everything working.

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 6:25pm

no he did not give me any more information than that and i was shocked in the moment but should have asked more. And yes i mentioned it was a diesel engine because it is and i was looking for a genuine reason as to what could have caused him to refuse the test as I still have no answers and want to feel safe driving the car. i doubted the first mechanic because I assumed the nct tester was right in refusing to do the test and knew more so saught a 2nd opinion before wasiting my own time and the nct test centres time before returning without finding out what could have casued the problem. my post did not ask anyone what i should do i plan on doing nothing. i asked what could cause this issue

User1998 · 04-04-2024 6:27pm

You didn’t loose a month. The expiry date is still the same. Just be happy you only failed on a bulb.

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 6:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975794#Comment_121975794

if he gave me more information i would have known what to get fixed and that would have been no problem. my point is that nothing was fixed between both tests and there was no problem 2nd time round

kirving · 04-04-2024 6:41pm

It might have been a temporary warning light which disappeared after restarting the car, and didn't show up for the mechanic later (or he didn't investigate fully).

It might even have been a mistake by the NCT tester. On my first driving test, the tester told me he wouldn't go as the car had a red warning light on the dashboard - it was to show that the Handbrake was on, and he misunderstood it as a braking issue.

3 Owls in a Coat · 04-04-2024 6:41pm

You reported that he gave you very little information at the time so either he was very succinct and you didn’t listen / understand or you didn’t ask any questions of the person that could provide the answers (ie - the tester) and then you toddled over to the faceless internet to provide a reason. You’re not out of pocket, you presumably have a test and are driving around with a fresh €800 of repairs on your car which were possibly required. You also have a mistrust of a mechanic, an intimate knowledge of at least 2 NCT centres and all your lights are working. There’s nothing to give a reason for. Don’t do anything more. All is well that ends well.

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 6:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975943#Comment_121975943

i already said i should have asked more questions. and i firsty toddled over to two mechanics as the tester had advised looking for a reason why and neither could give me any reason. the interenet is a last resort out of curiosity.

TheRiverman · 04-04-2024 6:50pm

I always give my car a good drive for about 45 mins on my way to the test centre which is usually Athlone and is only 15 mins from where I live. I detour onto the Motorway for a good drive and have never failed on emissions.

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 7:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975989#Comment_121975989

and say he had given me an in dept analysis of what was wrong with the car ( which he did not) the point of my post is that no work was done on the car between the first test and the 2nd test. so the car went from being unsafe to test to passing (minus a bulb) with no mechanical work being done whatsoever

JVince · 04-04-2024 7:18pm

Don't think you understand NCT dates.

If it's due for test on 1st May, it doesn't matter whether you get the test done on 1st April or 1st August, the cert will only be valid until 1st may next year or the year after depending on the age of the car.

Possibly the equipment gave a false reading. It can happen. Just like it can happen in a garage too.

Would you rather the test proceed and run the risk of the engine blowing? (NCT take no responsibility)

They erred on the side of caution. I think that was correct. You were refunded. You got it checked. It is ok. It has passed. **** happens in life. It was a minor inconvenience in the scheme of things.

Move on.

Luna84 · 04-04-2024 8:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121975941#Comment_121975941

as the car had a red warning light on the dashboard - it was to show that the Handbrake was on, and he misunderstood it as a braking issue.

Did that actually happen? And what happened after did he leave or did you show him the hand brake was on. Seems very far fetched tbh as every car has that light for the hand brake and not like it is a feature on a couple of brands.

Luna84 · 04-04-2024 8:03pm

You said it was late and you were the last car. I'd say he just wanted to go home and couldn't be bothered to test the car as it would hold him up. He even gave you back the test fee which would kind of align with my thinking.

hoodie6029 · 04-04-2024 8:34pm

It’s some feat to manage not one capital letter in 5 posts!

New account. NCT moan. Yawn…Why did anyone even respond to this seriously?

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 8:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976527#Comment_121976527

i considered this too but i dont know it would only have taken another 20mins. i would have been happier with a fail than the way it was left leaving with no information to pass onto a mechanic to sort out. both mechanics i went too said this is very strange and is not something they usually see in a well maintained car that had just been serviced, prepared for nct, and had no enigine lights or faults when checked. it was a mystery to them too.. i was genuinely just curious had anyone else ever had a similar experience and had a mechanic been able to give them a reason why

kirving · 04-04-2024 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976507#Comment_121976507

I will never ever understand people on here questioning the validity of innocuous things which are impossible for the original poster to prove.

There are over 2.75 million fully licensed drivers in Ireland. Accounting for test failures, many more tests than that have taken place, and you think it's "far fetched" for a single tester to make a single mistake on a single test, when looking at the dashboard from the far side of the car?!

And yes, I just showed him the handbrake was on, no big deal except for fact he was a bit of a prick about it.

The OP's NCT test might have seen some light, not bothered to check, or just didn't know what it was, and gave the car back. Simple mistake.

michelle8913 · 04-04-2024 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976774#Comment_121976774

wow WHY EVEN REPLY.. no one made anyone reply or be gramatically correct..bore off with the negativity it was a genuine question u werent oblidged to read or respond too.. i have dyslexia sue me