AIBU to be angry with garage over Dangerous MOT fail?

[User10204842]

I took my car in for its mot yesterday, I’ve been with this garage for a couple of years and they’ve been brilliant up until now.
I thought it was strange when I dropped it off, the lady asked me when I wanted it back? I said I wasn’t sure how much work needed doing so whenever.
AIBU that when you take your car for an mot (at a garage that does your other repairs) you expect them to fix any minor issues and advise you about majors? This is what all garages I have taken my car to have done in the past.
Usually they call you and explain what work needs doing, you agree on it and they do it.
Anyway, yesterday I got a call saying my car was ready but it needed some work. They can’t fit me in until next week, so I agreed a date and set off to pick it up.
When I get there she only charges me for the MOT, £30, and sends me on my way. No one explaining what work needs doing, so I shoot off to get daughter from nursery.
I completely trust this garage, they have been brilliant in the past so had no reason to question them.
When I get home and look at my certificate I see I have a dangerous fail on the brake pads. I’ve not had a dangerous before so I look it up and see I shouldn’t even be on the road!
At this point I am absolutely livid, I could have been fined £2500 if caught.
Anyone else had this situation, and AIBU to be angry with the garage for giving me the impression the car was safe to drive.

@Doris86 ok so for something like tyres which you usually have advisories about anyway. I mean if you have checked the car over, everything works and looks correct could you be blamed for a fault that develops that’s not detectable to a non mechanic.

....No things that are consumable and you know are supposed to wear out need checking periodically like tyres.
You don't wait for the M.O.T you check depending on use and for your own safety.

@Sirzy no, they work perfectly, no noises or grinding. They’ve worn before so I know to look out for.

My garage tells me of any fails

It’s my job to find out what fails though and if it’s safe to drive. That’s your responsibility as a car owner.

Majors don’t get done on the same day. Unless they’ve tons of space. Most have to be booked in again at a later date. I’ve never had a car which had a majors fail he done there and then.

Working perfectly but classified as dangerous on the MOT? Hmm something doesn’t add up there!

Always ideal to have your car serviced before an MOT 😁

[quote User10204842]@BIoodyStupidJohnson no I’m not allowed to drive it anywhere. I shouldn’t have driven it away from the garage. I should have either had it repaired at the garage or had it towed on a low loader to another garage. Your not allowed to drive your car at all on a dangerous fail. Which they did not tell me at all.[/quote]
It’s not up to the garage to tell you that

That was one of my questions on my driving test! So it’s in the Highway Code. Hence that’s on your to know.

@TheQueef yeah I agree with that, we always check our tyres, tyre pressure, lights (though obviously not this time!), and keep an eye out for other issues. I see what pp means by road legal, in the sense that what the law says you should check as a car owner, not diagnosing complicated issues.

You have to take responsibility for your car. The garage advised that the was done, by that I would take it that they had done what i had asked them to do which was the MOT. Garages don’t book in an mot and then allocate a certain amount of time to complete any after work otherwise they would have a lot of dead time. You state you think it is 50/50 but I would disagree and say it all your responsibility as a car owner and adult.

@Nocutenamesleft so you must have passed your test in the last 3 years, I’m an old gimmer who passed over 20 years ago, dangerous fails didn’t exist!

@Sirzy

I think if your brakes are so low as to have been classed as dangerous then you would struggle to justify that in case of an accident. Surely you notice they aren’t responding/your breaking distance is increasing/they are grinding?.

Not necessarily someone posted above that 1.5mm of pad left is the cut off point, chances are they would respond normally. They shouldn't have just got that low though, I get about 30k miles out of a set of front pads and brake quite heavily, so unless op is doing serious mileage they should have given her a heads up at tye last MOT or service.

[quote User10204842]@TheQueef she said the brakes needed doing and they could fit me in in 2 weeks…
So you would think it’s not that serious surely?
I didn’t ask the price as this garage are great, really reasonable and they only do necessary work.
I am going to leave it with them. I’m annoyed but I think it was an oversight for them (and me). I won’t be going back.
Well I literally can’t go back as my car can’t be on the road![/quote]
The problem is. Your car would be on their property. For a week. Most garages don’t let you leave cars. Holed up. For weeks on end.

It was finished. It hadn’t passed. But it was finished.

[quote User10204842]**@tigger1001* @RandomLondoner* yes this has always been my experience, they call you up, tell you what needs doing to get it through and then you agree. I always provision in the next day of having no car as well in case it needs longer.
I don’t know, think they must be busy, usually a mechanic goes through it with me. I definitely should have read and will do next time.[/quote]
Yeah that's the experience of our local garage.

I can't imagine them not telling me that the car could not be driven.

@Boatingforthestars I do a lot of mileage and drive for my job.

@Sirzy

Working perfectly but classified as dangerous on the MOT? Hmm something doesn’t add up there!

Bald tyres work perfectly but are dangerous??

When was the car last serviced?

You chose to drive the car and not read the advisory. So it's your fault OP.

No they won't do repairs on an MOT test. You book that in later as they have MOTs booked in all day.

Next time book an MOT and service at the same time. If it fails the MOT they can do the work needed when doing the service. Then get the MOT re done. Lots of garages don't charge for a retest if you have the work done with them.

Where are you going where an MOT is £30 that's very cheap. Too cheap almost.

I'm more shocked that you didn't think "dangerous fail" meant it was too dangerous to be on the road. Especially with regards to brakes.

[quote User10204842]@Nocutenamesleft so you must have passed your test in the last 3 years, I’m an old gimmer who passed over 20 years ago, dangerous fails didn’t exist![/quote]
Doesn’t matter when you passed

It’s your job to know that. You’re meant to know these things. Regardless of whenever you took your driving test. It’s your responsibility

@chocolateorangeinhaler how much do you pay for an mot?

[quote User10204842]@Boatingforthestars I do a lot of mileage and drive for my job.[/quote]
If you drive for a living

It’s frightening to know that you didn’t know these things.

[quote User10204842]@chocolateorangeinhaler how much do you pay for an mot?[/quote]
My MOT 4 days ago was £54

Bald tyres don’t work perfectly at all! Hence them being dangerous when bald and their being legal limits. Just because they go round and round (until they go pop!) doesn’t mean they are working perfectly

@BadNomad I don’t know why you’re shocked by that. I spoke to my family and friends about it and none of them had heard of a dangerous fail because they’d never received one. And I don’t remember any PSA about it.

But what do you think dangerous means?