Late last year, I told you about the work we're doing to make technical information available on the MOT testing service.
Since then, we’ve been looking at your feedback and thinking about what technical advice for vehicles we could add to the MOT testing service.
We've now developed this feature and have added it to the service.
Helping you to test vehicles safely
We want to make sure that this information helps you test vehicles safely and correctly.
It’s important that during a test you’re safe and that you don’t accidentally damage the vehicle. We also want to give you all the help you need to make the correct decision.
You can now find new information on:
- steering and suspension including manufacturers design features and tolerances
- special features, such as how to put an electromechanical parking brake system into bedding mode before roller brake testing
- the roller brake test, including whether a vehicle can be brake tested using a roller brake tester without causing damage to the vehicle
- unusual features, such as testing certain vehicle types with the ignition off ensuring that the brake servo is fully charged
- safety design features
- other useful tips, like how to jack up some vehicles with air suspension
This first version has advice on how to test around 20% of vehicles. But the way we've built this feature means that we can add to it quickly and easily. So, we’ll regularly update it with more information as we get it.
‘This vehicle has testing advice’
If you’re testing a vehicle and see the below banner, that means there’s technical information on the testing service to help you.
Once you click the link you’ll be presented with any information we have for the vehicle.
You can also print it if you need to.
Listening to you
Following your feedback, we’re still looking at the possibility of you being able to the add technical information that you know. I still think this is a great idea, but we need to look at how this would work and how we could make sure that the information added is correct.
In the meantime, if you have any suggestions on what we need to do to improve this feature then let us know in the comments below.
123 comments
Comment by Philip Marrinan NT / QC posted on
hi
has anybody had any difficulty in logging in since this last update , my screen is suffering from what i call a stammer because every time i input info it reverts back to its previous screen page or goes back to the log in page and its very frustrating, any ideas out there as to why this is happening.
And back to the issue in hand well done to have the V.S.I back
Comment by dimi posted on
Fantastic news .About time
Comment by Anthony posted on
Will this have special notice info too like it used to ? Eg allowed play in front to struts. Merc play in balljoints. Iv looked and some special notice info seems to have disappeared. Ok for long time testers but what about new testers ?
Comment by Kev stanton posted on
Really good addition to the system , found this very helpful and very resourceful
Comment by S Khan posted on
Vehicle specific information back! well done
Comment by Kev posted on
1st test since it's been added, wrong information! Not a good start.
Comment by michael knights posted on
Great idea but can have the option to print the check sheet after we've looked at the advice
Comment by richard posted on
you can print the info off.
Comment by Dave Simpson posted on
great to have VSI back, why it's took so long when all the info was in the old system only the boffins know!
Comment by Nigel Andrews posted on
Veins is all well and good but several times during entering test results the program keep skipping back to the home page and it gets frustrating especially when I am doing eleven mot test a day. I've tried shutting down the computer and rebooting it but it doesn't make any difference. Lets hope this is just a teething problem and will soon be sorted out.
Comment by Daniel posted on
I wish that you could read the inspection manual and still be able to just switch back to the MOT Testing Service page without having to close the manual down and load up the MOT Testing page again. I have brought this comment up various times to no avail. Is there any one else who struggles with this too?
Comment by richard posted on
i think I'm reading you correctly here, but all you have to do is right click on the manual link & open a new tab.
Comment by Tony S posted on
Open up a second tab for the manual
Comment by steve posted on
at last you starting to listen
Comment by Paul posted on
That is excellent, much needed useful information, It will help a lot. thank you.
Comment by vince posted on
thanks this is a great help for all testers old and new
Comment by Bob posted on
Well done yet another item added from the old system.
Keep adding the stuff we had on the old smart card system, we call the new web base system a better system than smart card was ? This new system crashed monthly
Comment by Roeen posted on
Good news We'll done
Comment by Ken Mcintosh posted on
There is no mot tester that knows everything about every car so bringing this very helpful information back is a giant step in the right direction.
Well done DVSA.
Comment by fazal urrahman posted on
i think its a fantastic idea its informative and you have the details at hand prior to starting the mot test. welldone technical team at dvsa
Comment by p crossland posted on
Would be nice to see previous year advises
Comment by Chris Reed posted on
Deja Vu?
Comment by a tester posted on
why not concentrate on getting brake testing weights correct first before introducing more half baked attempts at trying to get back to where we were with the old system
Comment by mick posted on
about time , lets hope we have the vehicle brake testing weights back soon too
Comment by Andrew John Anderson posted on
Yes it's a good idea, but why does it keep skipping back to the start page, I sometimes get no print out and have to do a duplicate very frustrating plus half the car's have no brake weights please sort it out.
Comment by Steve b posted on
Good job & will help with car dealer complaints about how we test?
Comment by Karl posted on
Really help full at times glad it's back
Well done dvsa??
Comment by Richard Owen posted on
Great idea. Any extra help is always welcome.
Comment by D.Banks posted on
When you log a vehicle on for test,why do some give the testing weight and some don't.
Even when you have tested the vehicle the previous year
Comment by Michael Cleary posted on
Used it today it looks like we are heading in the right direction, keep up the good work DVSA.
Comment by Gaz posted on
Great news. Saves digging around autodata for info!!
Comment by Duncan posted on
A big help for recently qualified testers , it certainly helped me some years ago
Comment by Dave posted on
Good idea,but I'd settle for the brake weights to be there,what's happened to them ,cars I tested last year the brake weights are now missing ,trying to buy new brake charts now
Comment by Trevor posted on
Congratulations to the light vehicle testers! The information will be useful to them. The same level of service to the thousands of HGV and PSV engineers who carry out periodic inspections would be helpful. We all , hopefully, have the same aim - reducing accidents and saving lives.
The more information we have, the more informed judgements we can make.
Comment by Tony S posted on
So another update and the systems been playing up all day
Comment by Keith posted on
All we need now is the fast track system back....
Comment by david starr posted on
You should never have ended vsi,s
Comment by Planky posted on
Is anyone else have problems with log in, mileage entry and brake test results since this update? I keep have probs in sense I enter the above and it either resets the boxes or kicks me out to the home page... Doesn't do it every time though.
Comment by Thomas donnelly posted on
It will likely cause the system to crash the morra.like every update they try to do ...then will wait 3 hrs to issue emergency test numbers n never answer the phones at the helpline
Comment by John posted on
It's a good idea. I would also like to see last years advisors when logging a vehicle on
Comment by les posted on
since the update sometimes we click on defect or brake results and it takes you back to enter result screen
Comment by Adrian posted on
Good to have it back again.
Comment by Peter Goodspeed posted on
System Already went down this morning! Every update seems to crash next morning. Please sort DVSA!!!!!!!
Comment by Jim Reade posted on
Great! I'm sure everyone would like to know where OBD sockets are for the emission test- would that be a possible future development?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Jim,
This is something we're looking at for the future.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Tony posted on
Vsi is an integral part of the mot can't wait till it's back..
Comment by neil osman posted on
Thanks. From little acorns etc. etc.
Comment by Martin posted on
About time they brought it back
Comment by Chris Ives posted on
Great move! Maybe we could get a link to manufacturers information if its needed, perhaps video or still pictures may help?
Comment by richard posted on
I've have to re-submit these as I've noticed my email address is wrong, apologies.
Well this is excellent news ?
I have noticed though since the last update, some brake testing weights on some vehicles (class 4) are missing, also it keeps chucking my password out on the 1st attempt when I try to log in.
Just printed out a VSI for vehicle I'm about to test (2/2) & the second sheet it prints out is just plain with a line of text at the bottom of it, as all the info I need is on the first sheet, waste of paper ?
ok, I'm having a problem sometimes when I go to enter an advise or failure item, it takes me back to the home screen & I have to re-enter the criteria.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello Richard,
Please see our reply to another comment on the subject of brake testing weights: https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/adding-vehicle-technical-information-to-the-service/#comment-28052
We're aware that Testers are experiencing some issues when registering and entering results. We are working to resolve these live service issues and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Harry posted on
Pleased to see the vehicle info back.
But I have had a lot of vehicles lately, that have no brake test weight. is there a reason for that.
Comment by cheekyboy posted on
great to have it back, cheers DVSA
Comment by d bradley-scrivener posted on
exellent
Comment by Stephen posted on
About time. However since you added this new data, when ever I click on an item for instance brake pads low, it then goes back to the home screen enter test results,and twice now I've even had to re-enter pin number grrr.
Please rectify.
Comment by mark posted on
pity that all the other screens are now erratic
Comment by ton posted on
Since yesterdays improvement to the system we are unable to print a pass certificate at end of test ,the work around we found is to issue a duplicate.
Also sign in takes a few attempts.
Obviously the help desk is unavailable hence this advice.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
We're aware that Testers are experiencing some issues when registering and entering results. We are working to resolve these live service issues and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by A ball posted on
Vehicle specific information back! well done 🙂
Comment by steve posted on
May I be the first to say well done for listening to us , thank you
Comment by lee brogan posted on
Excellent news and a welcomed move in the right direction. a bit disappointing that only 20% of vehicles will be covered but hopefully this will increase rapidly .
Comment by Colin johnson posted on
at last after all this time and plenty of pressure in a number of council meetings we are finally moving in the right direction nice to see it makes sense and every bodies life a lot easier
Comment by RonSloan posted on
Great news DVSA cheers
Comment by phil posted on
Great.
Why not give it a fancy name too.
How about Vehicle Specific Information or V.S.I. for short.?
Comment by pete O'Dell posted on
testers should know what they are testing and how, this just makes them lazy, is this going to work with motorcycles too??
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Pete,
There is currently some technical data for some motorcycles.
Our aim is to include technical data for as many vehicles as possible, which includes motorcycles.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by chris posted on
what about vehicle testing weights which seem to have gone for most vehicles?? will these be returning tonight??
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
Please see our reply to another comment on this issue: https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/adding-vehicle-technical-information-to-the-service/#comment-28052
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by S Bright posted on
When are you going to put back the brake testing information that disappeared when the system failed this month?? This is more important
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
We are aware that some brake test weight information is missing from the service. We have identified this issue and it will be fixed with our next update on 11 April.
In the meantime, you should refer to manufacturers' or other reliable sources of information such as wall charts, technical manuals or the vehicle handbook if available.
Where this is not possible a decelerometer brake test must be conducted.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by mercedes posted on
as long as its been tested and does not shut the system down as i have 6 mots in tomorrow i hate it when this happens