Our daughters car, 14 plate SEAT Ibiza, failed it's MOT today due to high emissions. I took it for quick 10-12 mile 60mph in 3rd gear tune-up. The results speak for themselves 😎

Obviously they tested the emissions before the engine was at the right temperature. Some testing stations will try anything to make more money. I was once presented with an invoice for £300 for 'failed' parts that did not need replacing for the MOT, in fact two of the parts didn't even come under the MOT, needless to say, I never went back there again!

Another testing station was giving their customers a £25 off voucher printed in the local parish magazine, '£25 off on presentation of this voucher', 90% of customers that presented the voucher had their vehicle fail and needed parts replacing, I once took advantage of the voucher but presented it AFTER the MOT was carried out, it was a pass. Need I say more? Never used that station again either.

I'm sure there are garages like that but I trust this one. The retest was free anyway 😉

 

I do agree that maybe it wasn't up to the correct temp when it was tested though, not sure how they could get it decent and hot without taking it out for a drive before hand though. 

They should run the engine up to temperature, no matter how long that takes plus, the machine has to be cleaned, calibrated and serviced periodically so that it gives a true reading. As for trust, if they can't get it right can you really trust them? The older you get the more suspicious you get and trust has to be earned, the station that failed a vehicle of mine for parts that were not needed that I mentioned has gone from being a repair/service/MOT centre to now just being a parts supplier and MOT station, that immediately rings alarm bells for me.

4.3 Carbon Monoxides!!  

You can tell from the lambda reading it was still in open loop at the time, they won't have warmed it up at all.  🤦‍♂️

It was certainly warm by the time they retested it! 😄