Rear seat belts and MOT

[Sailsy]

Hi All,

I have my MOT looming next week and i have a quick question with regard to rear seatbelts. It was originally a panel van and has had two lap belts fitted to the R and R bed. One of these literally fell to pieces on a recent trip out and needs replacing.

I know that campervans/motorhomes legally are not required to have rear seatbelts however if they are present do they have to be working for the MOT?

I plan to replace them both with 3 point inertia reel belts but I havent had time and the MOT is now due. I tried in vain to unbolt the broken one last night however the bolt didnt come loose and I think it was spinning under the van so it doesnt look like they are bolted to fixed spreader plates. Due to work commitments I wont be able to get under the van to unbolt the broken belt by next week.

So basically am I heading directly for an MOT failure with a broken belt or will I be OK?

The rest of the van is mechanically sound and regularly maintained so in theory it should pass ok.

Any advice kindly received.

Worried from Hexham....

[marlinowner]

If manufactured post April 1st 1987, motor caravans with two or more forward facing seats in the back need seat belts, a single three point inertial reel belt or two static or lap belts, unless the seats are designed only to be used when stationary. All fitted seatbelts are tested for operation and condition. So I think it's a fail, although I'm not an MOT tester.

[Sailsy]

Cheers for the reply

Oh bugger....

I will have to see if I can get underneath this weekend and change the broken one for a replacement one...

Without a garage I think I may be getting wet lying underneath the van looking at the weather forecast...

[wee bugger]

Cheers for the reply

Oh bugger....

I will have to see if I can get underneath this weekend and change the broken one for a replacement one...

Without a garage I think I may be getting wet lying underneath the van looking at the weather forecast...

Why are you going under? They bolt through from inside into fixed threads/nuts

[Sailsy]

I tried unbolting them last night and the bolt just kept turning so I dont think they have been attached to proper spreader plates under the van. The one on the other side is attached through the wheel arch to a small 1"x2" plate so I am guessing the other 3 bolts are attached likewise hence they are "spinning" when I turn them from inside. I need to get under the van to see if that is the case and potentially get a spanner/socket on them whilst my able assistant unbolts them from above.

Obviously not very well fitted (a bit like the rest of the van....) I keep finding horrors the more I look...

[sternal]

if you have child seats put them in, then the tester will put down as an advisory couldn't test rear belts due to child seats...

This is what has been on our last few MOTs on the car as the children are still in booster seats

NB in my van have 3 point fitted

[a1winchester]

I suppose you could leave the bed down - then there are no seats to require seat belts.

[ELVIS]

WHS^

If you need a ticket on it to use it as daily driver etc, present it with bed folded out

Obviously fix em asap though.

[Sailsy]

I think I will try that.

I want to keep it on the road because we have 4 seats with 4 working belts. We have a rear facing seat behind the passenger (proper full size seat with a 3 point belt) and one of the two on the bench seat is fine so we have enought seats with belts for us and the two kids (but they cant bring a friend).

I plan to replace both rear seat belts with 3 point intertia reel ones but I dont have time before the MOT date.

What is annoying is that the belt is actually "broken" because the hard plastic part of the buckle is broken but it looks like it has been for a long time and I never noticed it until the thing fell to pieces. I guess we should check things like seatbelts a bit more often and with a more discerning eye. However the van has had MOT's right up until i bought it last year and the plastic part of the belt buckle was obviously broken for several years and bodged back together....

[Sailsy]

One last point. If the bed is down can they not look underneath to see if there are seatbelts or are they not allowed/botherd?

Probably showing my ignorance here....

[ELVIS]

If it's presented with the seats down in the form of a bed, then belts are not tested as it's not a seat.

[muggins]

If it's presented with the seats down in the form of a bed, then belts are not tested as it's not a seat.

I seccond this as I did the same when putting daughters camper through mot nothing was mentioned regarding seat belts both times it was tested ( at different garages)