Advice needed regarding car failing its MOT please

[SequinsandStiIettos]

Afternoon,

I have a car - 30k miles on the clock - battery was flat earlier in the year and needed jump starting. A few weeks later, the airbag light came on and could neither be reset by the local garage nor the dealership.
Was told nearly 3 months ago needed a new airbag ECU (electronics).
Dealership have on order from Korea but none have arrived.
Other parts have been on order since May allegedly, also not arrived.
No ECUs available in the UK for this make of car, according to the dealership and they will not fit a second-hand one, even if I were to find one.
So car's MOT booked shortly has to be cancelled as it will fail. It is due start of November.
My questions:

1. Can a car without MOT sit parked on the roadside next to my house with no issues?
2. Can I transfer my current insurance and green flag to another car?
3. If the ECU ever does arrive, how can I drive my car to the workshop if no MOT or do I take my chances? Would the dealership store my car until the part arrives and how much do you think that would cost?
4. Should I part exchange my car without a new ECU/due to fail its MOT to the dealership or local garage or private sale, or would you hang tight?
5. Would you go onto using the bus in the meantime (might be doable but going to cause stress because single mum/swim with my two/have to be at work at 8.15/would need all shopping with slots) or use a hire car or buy a second, cheap run around to tide me over (if cheap, might have a myriad of problems)
6. How long can a car go unused without battery going flat?

What would you do Jodie Picoult?!

Thanks in advance

1. Can a car without MOT sit parked on the roadside next to my house with no issues?

No. It would need to be registered as SORN, and to do this it needs to be off a public road: www.gov.uk/sorn-statutory-off-road-notification

3. If the ECU ever does arrive, how can I drive my car to the workshop if no MOT or do I take my chances?
You can only legally drive it to an already pre-booked MOT appointment.

How long have you owned it? Is it worth holding onto or wouldn’t part-X just be rid of the problem back to the dealership? I’d be leaning on them for a solution, tbh.

Shit. Thanks squirrel for the prompt response. So, it would sit there illegally and be illegal for the 8 miles to the garage and back, God knows how long from now, and the 1 mile to the MOT garage and back.
Second -hand ECU nobody wants to fit and would need recoding in any case. Nowhere to store it.
Fuck. I'm screwed, aren't I?

So, I would need to ask dealership to store it - that will be costly even if they agree to it, but I would also need the dealership to do the MOT on site - which will be costly because it is a dealership...and no idea when they will even get the part. Eek.

I like the car. I didn't want to have to sell it. It cost 4,300 pounds two years ago. Cannot afford new.

Any ideas?

I can answer some of these...!

1. Can a car without MOT sit parked on the roadside next to my house with no issues?
No, I don't think it can. If it's a public road, it would be illegal for the car to be on it, even parked.

2. Can I transfer my current insurance and green flag to another car?
Yes, you can probably do that, although your insurance company will probably charge an 'admin fee' for that. (Mine charged £25 to change my address when we moved, for example.)

3. If the ECU ever does arrive, how can I drive my car to the workshop if no MOT or do I take my chances? Would the dealership store my car until the part arrives and how much do you think that would cost?
It would be illegal to drive the car to the garage with no MOT, unless you're literally driving it to a booked MOT appointment AND it hasn't previously failed an MOT on a dangerous fault. Whether they would store it until the parts arrive is up to them -- I'd be surprised if they did, to be honest, because most garages are tight for space.

4. Should I part exchange my car without a new ECU/due to fail its MOT to the dealership or local garage or private sale, or would you hang tight?
You can sell/px it but it would be worth a lot less compared to if it had an MOT.

5. Would you go onto using the bus in the meantime (might be doable but going to cause stress because single mum/swim with my two/have to be at work at 8.15/would need all shopping with slots) or use a hire car or buy a second, cheap run around to tide me over (if cheap, might have a myriad of problems)
That's a 'how long is a piece of string' question tbh.

6. How long can a car go unused without battery going flat?
It varies... couple of weeks, maybe?

What kind of car is it, and how old is it?

I didn't buy it new or from the dealership. Am only using them as my lovely mechanic could not reset it and said a Kia Dealership would have to. They diagnosed new ECU needed on August 2nd and I ordered one then. MOT due November 12th.

Does anyone you know have a garage or lend or drive the car could go on? Then for the repair MOT issue you’d get them to fit the part as part of the MOT appt if possible.

But I would be talking to the dealership about what they’ll offer you on another car. Ideally something with very easy to get parts - Ford etc.

Cars are a massive painful stress. I’m sorry.

What make and model is it?

Can a little private garage fix it for you instead? Maybe they will find the part on eBay etc for you?
Ask around for recommendations of a good mechanic x

Kia Picanto 2013

Stick some gaffer tape over the airbag light on the dashboard. The MOT person can't remove it and they can only issue an advisory for the tape

Honestly if it's an option for you I'd probably cut my losses and part exchange it for a different car. Might loose out on a bit of money in the short run, as you'd get less for it with the issues currently, but then it's no longer going to be your problem.

Suggest a second opinion from another garage, probably an independent one with a good reputation. they might have a solution. It does sound mad but when my dad's car needed a part that had failed on lots of similar cars it had to sit in the garage and wait for it for 2 months. He was lucky it was a company car. I assume part of the problem is with a car industry where all the bits are processed in lots of different countries.

I would ask them for the part number and order one from ebay, even if you then later replace with the new one. There will be one floating around somewhere from a breakers yard.

Whereabouts in the country are you? reason I ask is we were also told our car needed a new ecu at one point but it turned out in the end to be just a minor sensor. Instead of spending several hundred for a new unit it was about £50

Aaarrrgghh! Nightmare, nightmare, nightmare. Thanks all.
I have nobody to lend me a drive, no. Live in terraced housing, we are all on-road here. Family miles and miles away, just not practical.
Cannot see a solution atm.
I do have another (third) mechanic but he would never source the part for me. I had to do that myself for a door handle and then it went wrong and I had little comeback.
My local garage mechanic didn't recommend seconds on electronics.
The Kia dealership said they wouldn't either.
I could ask the local garage how much they would charge for me parking it on their forecourt but it could be there for ages and even if they charged a minimum, it will still absolutely add up. Plus they definitely do not have the space nor does the third mechanic.

I know there is a global chip shortage.
Is anyone else experiencing this?

What is the penalty fine for having a car on the road without an MOT and is this a one-off fine or depends how long it has been there? Would it be red-flagged straight away or would it only come up if reported? Yes, I am desperate here. Not having a car was one thing but possibly surmountable. Losing 4k's worth of car in one fell swoop is another.

I would try a Kia specific forum as there may be a workaround that even might just disable the warning light. The tape over the warning lights may or may not pass an mot, I’m not entirely familiar with the exact rules in that but for the cost of an mot it’s worth a go.

If your battery goes flat after sitting for a few weeks I’d say it’s getting towards the end of it’s life and needs replacing. When did you last replace it?

dodgy that solution fits your username! Thank you for making me smile. In what universe would that work or am I so desperate that I am taking your joke as an actual solution?!

Have you ordered the part through the dealership? If so I’d tell them you’re leaving the car on their premises h til they source one. Have you been in touch directly with KIA?

1. Can a car without MOT sit parked on the roadside next to my house with no issues?

No it has to be on private property such as a driveway. It also needs to be insured. Your insurance won't cover a car with no mot on the road. The only legal way a car can be parked on the road is if it is sitting on a trailer attached to a car with an mot.

To keep a car on the road it needs to be taxed. You can't get tax without an MOT.

1. Can I transfer my current insurance and green flag to another car?

Yes speak to your insurer. But your current car still needs to be insured.

1. If the ECU ever does arrive, how can I drive my car to the workshop if no MOT or do I take my chances? Would the dealership store my car until the part arrives and how much do you think that would cost?

If your car has no ECU you'll be unlikely to even start the car. It controls your whole car. You can drive your car to a pre-booked appointment if it does start. Still needs to be insured. You'll have to check with the dealership regarding storing your car.

1. Should I part exchange my car without a new ECU/due to fail its MOT to the dealership or local garage or private sale, or would you hang tight?

Depends on the value. You'll have to phone around some dealerships and weigh up the hassle of keeping it.

1. How long can a car go unused without battery going flat?

Impossible to tell. Maybe invest in some jump leads and find a nice neighbour.

Is the car water damaged? Is that why it needs a new ECU? If not, contact the manufacturer via social media. This is a part that should never fail on a car.

I considered asking third mechanic to disable the warning light but then I read that it would fail the MOT automatically for not flashing once as you put the key in. The actual airbag is fine according to local garage but they would still have to fail it because of the warning light - they also know of the issue so if it is disabled they will know why.
Unless I take it somewhere decidedly dodgy from back in the day, but as I have kids I do actually want a legal MOT. Dammit Janet.

I believe you can drive to a booked MOT without a valid MOT so it seems to be the storage that is the immediate problem.

@BungleandGeorge

If your battery goes flat after sitting for a few weeks I’d say it’s getting towards the end of it’s life and needs replacing. When did you last replace it?

Good point, see if your mechanic can check the health status of your battery. Not just charge but capacity as well, they can tell if it needs replaced. Low battery can cause havoc with the electrics, maybe a new one will let them clear the codes.

Have you ordered the part through the dealership? If so I’d tell them you’re leaving the car on their premises til they source one. Have you been in touch directly with KIA?

Ordered but not paid for. One of five customers apparently. They claim they are in touch with all Kia approved dealerships and everyone is in
the same boat and no ECUs are available from anywhere.
Have not been in touch directly with Kia, no. Not sure what I'd ask them. Am in the North West. Two Kia dealerships local to me - Dukinfield and Stockport. Dukinfield have ordered the part and flagged it as urgent allegedly.

baroness are you my Dad?! He said this to me twice already. But if the dealership AND the local mechanic have not found a sensor problem, are they both inept or not looking properly? I even rang back the dealership to ask specifically if they were absolutely sure it was an ECU and not a sensor and they were both a bit and , well, not angry but certainly bemused.

The battery did not go flat due to sitting, no.
It went flat as a boot light was left on so went to nothing.
After being jump started and going down the motorway for a bit, have had no problems since. I did read that completely flat batteries cause issue with the ECU. Would the dealership not have recommended a new batt if that was a viable fix? I could do it anyway via Halfords I guess, who can do these things coming to you wherever you are.
The how long can a car sit for question, was if I parked it outside and left it outside my house until dealership contact me then ask them to do the refit and MOT at the same time.
This is not a solution if I will be done for, although my neighbours will not grass me up. Halfords keep telling me when my MOT is due on the other hand...