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ford - Repair that was not carried out properly - debbieruby50

My partner has always took his car to the same garage for years. My partner was ill so this time I took the car to a different garage nearer to where we live. The car failed its mot on the sub frame and was told this was a dangerous defect and not to drive it. They discovered that the car subframe had been filled with fibre glass. In 2016 we were told that the subframe had a hole in and that they would weld & plate this and we paid for the repair to be carried out. He then passed an mot on this vehicle a further 3 times. What I want to know is this the correct way to repair a subframe and if not what can we do about this?

Edited by debbieruby50 on 15/05/2019 at 14:32

ford - Repair that was not carried out properly - focussed

A fibreglass patch on a subframe, being a structural part of the car body or chassis, is not acceptable according to the MOT testers manual appendix A - section 11 "Unacceptable methods of repair" .

Link

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/manuals/class3457/Appendix-A.html#section_11

"What can we do about this"

Get it repaired properly or replaced with a new subframe.

As regards the dodgy mot garage and getting them to pay for a proper repair - best of luck with that, they will deny it. (Been there - got the tee shirt).

You can complain about the dodgy MOT garage using this form.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780586/complain-about-an-mot.pdf

ford - Repair that was not carried out properly - debbieruby50

Thanks for the links that is most helpful. I'm just glad we took the car for an mot somewhere else or we may have never found out. Plus the subframe could have gave way and could have caused a very serious accident.