SVA Hints and Tips.

 

Thought I would add this part to assist those who will be going through the SVA…

 

 

Location of Test…

 

Southampton….

 

Test Comments…

 

Southampton test centre is a fairly new site, only 2 years, approx old.

The testers do things by the book, although I do think that they are fair. My SVA was pretty much the only one for the week, so they did stretch it out a bit, 5 hours!

The tester did make some good, positive comments about the car, unfortunately the tester was to tall to fit in my car, shame!!, so a second tester had to carry out the brake test. After adding 3 miles!! to the car, he did say that it drives really nice!.

 

Pass\Fail Points…

 

My car failed on the following items…

 

Fail Point

Comments

Solution

 

 

 

Front tyres NOT load rated

Although my tyres are ZR rated, which by UK law do not need a load index stamp, the SVA test requires proof of loading!!

Contacted the tyre manufacture and managed to get a letter stating, if the tyre was to have a load index on, the index number.

Drivers rear vision from drivers side mirror

Used Cavalier Mk2 mirrors, which are flat on the drivers side.

Managed to find a supplier for the European Cavalier, the Opel Ascona, mirrors. Fitted the European passengers side to my drivers side.

Incorrect positioned rear tail lights

With the VW transporter lights, it is not possible to pass SVA, unless a wiring mod is added OR additional side lights are fitted.

The lights are more than 400mm in from the extreme edge of the car.

Carried out a wiring mod, which makes the brake bulb come on at half brightness, when the sidelights are on.

Insufficient demist function

Mis-calculation of air flow!

Used old vacuum cleaner pipe

No self centring

Had a quick rack fitted first time round, which had too much friction.

Changed rack to standard 4 turns L-L and changed the wheels to toe out.

High level brake light not having a radius of more than 2.5mm

Brake light only had a 1.5mm thick lens!!

Rubber trim stuck over the offending item!

Radio not having a radius of more than 2.5mm

I always present a car, as it would be on the road. This time the tester did not like my CD player – The slot where the CD’s go in is not radiused and “you could cut your finger”!!. I’ll pass the comments on to Sony!!!

Removed the radio.

 

 

 

 

 

Please send me your SVA results, so we can build a bigger database.

 

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