Hi All,

I have an MOT due next month, and as the title states i have a torn seat belt. 

Its the rear passenger side belt, its never in use as the car is used for work, now my question is, if i put my little ones isofix car seat in the car and connected it via the belt would it still be checked? I don't really want to replace it if it does not need to be done. 

Any tips or suggestions welcome! 

It will be checked and will fail.

Thanks mate, guess it’s one of those situations I’ve just got to get it replaced 

The MOT manual is available for all to read on the Govt website. 

the seat belt section is quite complicated due to different ages and types of vehicle covered by the same manual. As far as I can tell the bit for your rear seats says:

 

In forward facing rear seats any of the following:
a.
3 point inertia reel belt on an outboard seat and a 3 point static or inertia reel belt, lap belt, disabled persons belt or child restraint for at least one other seat; or
b.
static 3 point belt for one seat and a disabled person’s belt or child restraint for at least one other seat; or
c.
3 point belt, lap belt, disabled person’s belt or child restraint to each seat.

 

Now I think from this the isofix child seat would get round the torn belt. 

In the advisories section on some MOT certs I have seen it stated something like ' child seat fitted to left rear seat' which I think is a roundabout way of saying the normal seatbelt did not form part of the test due to the child seat being present.

I am not 100% certain on this, we need a proper MOT tester to see this and say.

But I wouldn't rush out and buy a new seat belt yet.  Obviously I am not saying carry on using a torn seat belt as if there is nothing wrong with that. 

 

How much is a rear belt from a breakers or eBay?  I used to just bin them when breaking cars as they never sold lol. 

The tester isn't allowed to remove the child seat, so if the belt is behind it, it won't get tested and will just get the advisory for 'child seat fitted'.

 

Thanks for your responses, I genuinely don’t use the belt or it would of been replaced when I purchased the car 6 months ago, I’m sure I read somewhere that If a child seat is present the belt is not tested and with the isofix the tear would be hidden, I think the belt is around 20-30 quid on eBay and it does seem petty, but if I don’t need it, that’s £30 towards the mot lol

Just drop your back seat, pile a load of junk in there and go for the MOT.

I asked this question and here is the answer.

 

ScaniaPBman.

10 hours ago, Howarthhd said:

Thanks for your responses, I genuinely don’t use the belt or it would of been replaced when I purchased the car 6 months ago, I’m sure I read somewhere that If a child seat is present the belt is not tested and with the isofix the tear would be hidden, I think the belt is around 20-30 quid on eBay and it does seem petty, but if I don’t need it, that’s £30 towards the mot lol

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-FOCUS-MK2-PASSENGER-SIDE-REAR-SEAT-BELT/222832675594?hash=item33e1dccb0a:g:HGQAAOSw6lRafvcM

£30!?