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Page 49
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Faulty headlight alignment is at the top of the table when it comes to annual test failures. Surely it's in everyone's interest to get this corrected?
Words: David Harris
If one of your trucks has failed an annual vehicle test recently, it's more than likely that the reason for the failure was faulty headlight alignment. It's an issue that has proved very frustrating for hauliers. garages and vehicle manufacturers alike.
Stephen Latham, senior operations manager at the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF) with responsibility for truck franchises, says that figures from their members are unequivocal.
The data is examined quarterly, and in recent years. the overall failure rate at the first test has varied between 79% and 83%. but 65% of those failures have been down to headlight alignment.
The problem, say Latham and others who have looked at the issue, is that the annual vehicle test is too sensitive.
Latham says: "We have been lobbying about this for ages. The parameters they use for headlight alignment are extremely tight. A truck can pass one minute, go over one bump and then fail. It's not a question of bad maintenance."
Some trucks do appear to be more vulnerable than others, although Latham says no manufacturer is worse than the rest. Trucks with air suspension seem more prone to headlight misalignment, as do short trucks because of their shorter wheelbase.
Latham says: "What I can say is that it isn't a brand issue: almost every manufacturer has its vulnerable models."
The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is in broad agreement with the RMIF.
Aggressive tolerances
Robin Dickeson. its manager of commercial affairs, says that the test for headlight alignment has "tolerances which are very aggressive" and that a vehicle -only has to stop sharply to put the alignment out".
Dickeson adds that the SMIVIT also believes that the rigour of the annual vehicle test varies from test station to test station and from individual tester to tester.
He comments: "There is an issue of consistency across the board, but there's no doubt that headlight alignment is the single biggest problem."
The manufacturers agree. Tony Pain, marketing director at Daf. says the truckmaker's figures are very similar, both for test failure rates and for the reasons for those failures. Daf says its trucks' first-time pass rate at the annual test is 86% for those vehicles on repair and maintenance contracts — with 43% of those failing doing so because of faulty headlight aim.
The question of what to do to solve the problem has been occupying manufacturers. trade organisations and hauliers for years.
As long ago as 2006. the RMIF was putting it high on the agenda of a meeting of its national truck council.
More recently, the issue has been addressed at the commercial vehicle aftermarket group, which has been attended by trade organisations, manufacturers and Vosa. This appears to have been the key to convincing Vosa that something needed to be done.
The SMMT's Dickeson says: "[Vosa chief executive] Stephen Tetlow has been to some of the meetings of the group and to be lair he has been very impressive, very frank and very open. We do have high hopes that something will be done now."
DfT decision
But even with the sympathy of Vosa, one of the problems has been that any decision to change the headlight alignment requirements change is obviously crucial, and this is what seems to have happened in the last year.
The RMIF's Latham says: "There is a definite change in attitude. For a long time Vosa ignored the headlight issue, but recently, they have been very co-operative and helpful." understood that the change has already received ministerial approval.
It is believed that Vosa is working towards a change of regulations for the headlight test to be put in place by April 2009, although this may change.
Vasa itself is more cautious, but it does part of this consultation process will allow interested parties to demonstrate that the headlight alignment test is "unrealistically tough", although it would seem that Vosa already privately accepts that this is the case.
What will also help the argument of those that want the headlight lest amended is that Vosa itself would like to push the first-time pass rate up, especially if the current system is failing vehicles through overly rigorous testing procedures.
One of the reasons for this is that Vosa testing stations are already very busy: pushing up the number of re-tests is the last thing Vosa needs.
It seems very likely that by next spring, the much criticised headlight aim test will be a little less of a headache for
hauliers. •