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Why did my 2003 MG ZT pass its MoT with an illuminated airbag warning light?

In a recent reply you wrote that cars will now fail their MoT tests if certain warning lights, including airbag warning lights, indicate anything wrong. For the last three years I've been driving a 2003 MG ZT CDTI that has been a great car, but has suffered the recurring problem of the airbag warning light coming on. Typically after a service all will be well for three weeks and then it comes on again, usually permanently. So I was concerned when I read that new legislation from January would render my car an MoT failure this year.

I took it for its MoT yesterday at a local testing station that is a stand-alone MoT testing station (so no need to invent repair jobs) and although it failed on a couple of separate minor issues, the warning light wasn't one of them. I challenged them about this and they were adamant that the legislation hasn't come into effect yet. Is this so?

Asked on 9 January 2012 by MA, Rugby

Answered by Honest John
It was supposed to come into effect in January as advisory and be fully effective from April, but it appears to have been deferred. You need www.airbagman.co.uk . It’s a franchise operation, so will vary, but I’ve had lots of favourable reports.

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