Taken from the AA's website:-

MOT changes from 2012

If you've been happily ignoring a warning light because it's not checked in the MOT you could be facing an MOT failure and an expensive repair bill in 2012 because of changes to the test.
The Department for Transport is adding a number of new mandatory test items to the annual MOT from 1 January 2012 to comply with a revised European testing directive.
The aim of the revised directive (2009/40/EC) is to harmonise minimum test requirements across Europe and make sure the test reflects the electrical/electronic complexity of modern car safety features.
VOSA, the government agency responsible for the MOT, has indicated that 'failures' relating to the new test items will be treated as 'advisories' in the first three months. This means that if you have any of the following problems with your car you've got until the first MOT renewal date after 1 April 2012 to get it fixed.

The main changes from 2012

Electronic parking brake
Electronic parking brake controls are now included and must be present and not inappropriately repaired or modified - repair obviously likely to adversely affect the roadworthiness of the vehicle or modification that has seriously weakened the component.

(The 'inappropriately repaired or modified' check is to be applied to a wide range of systems and components throughout the vehicle.)

The car will fail if an Electronic Parking Brake warning lamp is illuminated to indicate a malfunction.

Electronic Stability Control
Checks of antilock brakes will be extended to include Electronic Stability Control if fitted. The tester will check for the presence and correct operation of the ESC malfunction warning light together with looking for obviously missing, excessively damaged or inappropriately repaired or modified components and electrical wiring, as well as an ESC switch missing, insecure or faulty.

Warning lights
As well as electronic parking brake and electronic stability control warning lights (where fitted) the MOT test will also include checks for the correct function of the following, where fitted;

- Headlight main beam warning light
- Electronic power steering warning light
- Brake fluid level warning light
- Tyre pressure monitoring system warning light
- Air bag warning light
- Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light

Steering & suspension
The new test includes a check on the presence and correct function of the steering lock where fitted as standard.

Missing, or split/damaged dust covers on steering and suspension ball-joints will result in failure if they will allow dirt to enter the joint.

Power steering fluid level must be above the minimum level indicated on the reservoir.

Lighting
Products on the lens or light source that obviously reduce the light's intensity or change its colour will become a reason for failure – applies to front/rear position lamps, registration plate lamps, stop lamps, rear fog and direction indicators,

Headlight requirements are updated to take account of the particular characteristics of High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps.

HID headlights can cause dazzle if they are dirty or aimed too high so car manufacturers must fit headlamp cleaning and levelling systems. A car will fail if a mandatory headlamp cleaning or levelling system is missing, doesn't work or is obviously defective.

Vehicles fitted with aftermarket HID systems must also be fitted with properly working washer and levelling systems.

If a headlamp bulb is not seated correctly the resulting beam pattern will be indistinct and this will result in a test fail.

Electrical wiring and battery
An insecure battery will be a reason for failure as will a battery that is leaking electrolyte.

Visible wiring that is insecure, inadequately supported or likely to cause a short will also result in a failure as will wires bared by damaged insulation.

Trailer/caravan electrical socket
There will be a basic security/damage check of 7-pin sockets,

13-pin sockets will be subject to a full electrical connectivity check and incorrectly connected or inoperative circuits will result in failure.

Tyres
Tyre pressure monitoring systems fitted to vehicles first registered after 1 January 2012 must be working correctly and not indicating a malfunction.

Supplementary restraints
The vehicle will fail the test if any airbag fitted as original equipment is obviously missing or defective.

A seatbelt pre-tensioner fitted as original equipment but missing or that has obviously deployed will be a reason for failure.

Seatbelt load limiters that are missing where fitted as standard or folding webbing type limiters that have obviously deployed are also reasons for failure.

The vehicle will also fail if an SRS malfunction light is missing, not working or indicating a fault.

Speedometer
The car will fail if a speedometer is not fitted, is incomplete, inoperative, has a dial glass broken/missing or cannot be illuminated.

Seats
It must be possible to secure the driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism in two or three different positions. On electric seats the motors must move the seat fore and aft.

Doors
A rear door that cannot be opened from the outside using the relevant control is a new reason for failure.

Doors must be easy to open and close – hinges, catches and pillars will be inspected.

Towbars
Inappropriate repair or modification to the towbar assembly will be a reason for failure if judged likely to affect the roadworthiness of the vehicle/trailer.

Exhaust
A catalytic convertor fitted as original equipment but missing will be a reason for failure.

Fuel system
Damaged or chafed fuel pipes will result in failure.

So what is the FBHVCs actually for then? And where the fuck were they when that memo came in? That's all of the cars in this household rendered scrap in one go.

Thanks for the heads up Jonathan,so as I see it,
Electronic parking brake- mines working fine,but will keep a check on it,the warning light sometimes flickers.

Electronic stability control-again,mines working fine although the switch can be a bit dickie if it gets wet.

Warning lights-ah well,some times they work,sometimes they dont.The power steering one hasnt worked for ages.

Power steering fluid level- thats ok too,now I have fixed the leak.


Lighting-Hmm,products on your lenses,do they mean hair gel or what.

HID Headlights-mine must be set to high,people are always flashing me,must get them re set before the MOT.

Tyres-now this is a good one.Since I fitted Toyo tyres all around,the pressure monitoring system has stopped working.Was fine with the worn out Michelins,maybe I will change back to Michelin,or maybe try some Mabor.

Air bags-I will have to re fit them now,pain in the arse.

seat belt pretensioners-same here,will dig them out of the garage and chuck them back on,another pain in the arse.

Speedometer- well lit,

Seats- Oh my god,just spending a fortune putting original seats back into my AK,I will have to make sure the pegs are very secure.Maybe some silcone or something.

Doors- Well,they open and close.Just slam um shut.

Finally,Catalytic converter-Took mine off as it was sapping the power from the engine.Will re fit just before i take the car in.

Right,thats that then.Cant wait until MOT time

Hmm

My brake fluid test light doesnt work!!

There's going to be a big feature on this in next months 2cvGB News.

It's not actually a problem. The only additional things for us are:
- rubber gaiters which weren't previously MOT-able, they just need to be working, secure and in good condition
- track rod end dust covers, again, fitted and not cracked.
- hi beam warning. If you have one, great. Apparently they've ben a legal requirement since '86, but Citroen chose not to fit them. This has however been solved. I'm told that MOT machines will flag up that some 2cvs may not have them fitted and that this won't be an issue.

Other than that our 2cvs will be fine.

Until the ethanol percentile in fuel is increased and, basically, all 2cvs will dissolve on the garage forecourt.

Oh yeah, that has to work. If they can find out how to test it.

Sorry but it is an issue, why do I have to refit my steering lock and speedo? ( long since cast into the bin) I assume my trailer electrics that sit in my boot instead of on the tow hitch are insecure and therefore a fail too. That ami6 estate I made look like a van had no rear door handles, so that would have failed and had to have its door handles reinstated.

That's just the A series, both my other halfs 106 and my van have the airbag lights on constantly, looks like I've got to fix that now despite it not being an actual problem. Lucky they don't have to drive the car on the test because they'd soon discover the plethora of other warning lights that flash up despite no actual problem existing. This is really shit news.

Take dash put, remove warning bulb?
Also, Russ if you remove Towbar I believe they won't test it

I don't know how many pins my towbar electrics are but they've not been wired in since I decided I didn't like the look of the wiring... hmmm I'm sure I'll be fine.

Thanks for the heads up though as I'm looking to buy a car in the next few weeks and I imagine people will be trying to shift stuff cheap on the basis that "that's not covered under the test...".

Pete

I don't understand why the steering lock should be an MOT issue. I've always removed that from any 2cvs I've owned and my last two cars (and my current one) don't have one fitted as standard anyway.