Post Tagged with: "lights"

If your trailer is due for a general or initial inspection, or subsequent MOT inspections, you can best prepare for the upcoming appointment with your local MOT and often ensure that your trailer remains roadworthy.

What to look out for at your MOT appointment

A good way to start your MOT appointment is to have all the necessary documents with you. This includes your ID, the most recent MOT report (if available), and your vehicle registration document or vehicle registration certificate.

Also, make sure your trailer’s lights are undamaged and fully functional. Working lights are essential for a trailer and road safety. It’s best to check the lights and indicators, the brake lights, the license plate light, and the reversing light beforehand.

You should also check the tires on your trailer beforehand. The tire tread must be at least 1.6 mm, and they must not be older than six years. You can check the age of the tires yourself in advance; the markings on the sidewalls will tell you this. There you will find a four-digit inscription: the last two digits indicate the year, and the first two digits represent the calendar week of that year. You can also check the tire tread in advance using a 1 euro coin: If you insert it into the tread, you should no longer be able to see the gold edge of the coin. Only then is the tread still sufficient.

Wheel chocks are also important for trailers weighing over 750 kg. The TÜV (German Technical Inspection Agency) checks whether these are undamaged and fit the tires.

In order to ensure that the towing vehicle later communicates correctly with the trailer and that the lighting equipment does its job without error, the correct installation of the electrical kit with an activation is important. This should best be done by a specialist, especially with regard to the ever more complex electronics of the vehicles.

Activation is required above all for newer vehicles equipped with a CAN data bus. The activation must be carried out properly to ensure the complete functions of the electrical kit at the next trailer travel. Often notes regarding the retrofitting and activation of the electrical kit are given  in the operating instructions of the vehicle manufacturer, in the specialist workshop, the responsible staff usually knows how to perform the programming and unlocking and are equipped with the necessary funds.

What happens if the activation of electrical kits is not done?

If you do not let the electrical kit unlock, it will be difficult with the trailer. After all, all flashing and light functions on the trailer are important for safe driving with the trailer in order to be able to participate safely in traffic. These functions can only work properly by unlocking. For example, this ensures that the rear fog lamp is switched off when the trailer is being used on the vehicle and that it works on the trailer. If the activation does not take place, both rear fog lights shine. Often when driving with the trailer there are acoustic and electronic signals, for example when flashing. These will also be eliminated if your electrical kit is not installed correctly, but this is more likely to involve electrical kits with audible or electronic flashers.