Can anyone clarify the law on driving a car with a KPH only speedometer?
Is it illegal to drive such a car on UK roads? Or will it only be a problem when the MOT is due?
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According to BBC Watchdog guide to importing new cars from Europe, Speedo's must display speed in MPH
See: www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/guides_to/importinganewcar
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It used to be OK to 'locally' modify the display by marking the speedo glass with crayon or similar. Assuming you don't have a digital display.
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Motor Vehicles (Con & Use) Regs, 1986 Reg 35
Motor Vehicle shall be fitted with a speedometer which, if the vehicle was first used on or after 1.4.1984, shall be capable of indicating speed in BOTH miles per hour and kilometers per hour, either simultaneously or, by the operation of a switch seperately
Except, vehicles masx speed not exceeding 25 mph, motor cycle n e 100 cc, invalid carriage, fitted with tacho, etc, etc.(does not include any vehicle driven by Toad)
DVD
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Edwin. DVD has clarified this very well and, to add my bit of information, my imported vehicle (1990 model)has the main speed register in KPH and the secondary as MPH and I have had no problems with MOT and have been told that this is acceptable.
However, because of the need nowadays to be more observant of speeds, I have put a secondary perspex "dial" over the speedo display, and have marked it in MPH. This has never been queried at MOT time.
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Quite a lot of cars are even getting through their SVAs with kph only speedos. This doesn't mean yours will. It just means that some testers, even SVA testers, must be turning a blind eye.
HJ
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They are not turning a blind eye.The law says all speedometers must read in KM it does not say they must read in mph.A mph only is not allowed in Europe but a KM is allowed everywhere including the UK .
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Sorry but that is incorrect.
From the DVLA SVA www pages the following information can be found:
SECTION 2.6 MODIFICATIONS NECESSARY FOR USE IN BRITAIN.
The following is general guidance on the most common problems you are likely to encounter. It is not exhaustive and you should always seek the manufacturer's advice in relation to individual models.
Imperial Speedometer
Great Britain uses imperial units for speed measurement. The law requires that speedometers must include a miles-per-hour
display. Please note in particular that any modified display must be visible in daylight and in darkness.
I spent some time investigating importing a car I had owned for 3 years from Oz to the UK....the cost and hassle of the modifications and owning a non uk spec car made the cash savings
and value of a car with a known history less of an advantage.
regards
Ian
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I'm sure I read recently (in an article about imported cars) that there is an anomaly. Apparently a car can pass the MOT with a kph speedo (because it has a working speedo), but it's actually illegal to use it on the road.
I'm intrigued about the double indication. My pal has an imported Twingo, which has an electrical gizmo to provide mph speedo readings. So, by removal of this it fufill the criterion of allowing either to be displayed. However it isn't by a switch, so doesn't quite met the rules defined by DVD. Looks like there's some latitude here!
Regards
John S
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I have been told (by an MOT tester) that contrary to popular belief it is not actually an MOT requirement to have a working speedometer. (It is of course a legal requirement)
I know that is not quite the same thing as not having a speedometer, or not having one with the right calibrations.
Can this be true?
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ISTR that some years ago, it was the fashion to install the speedo on off-road motorcycles under the seat somewhere. i.e. it had to be there, but not necessarily readable.
martin
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Several anomalies here, not least that you can apparently be prosecuted both for selling a pound of sausages and for not having a speedometer that reads mph! Surely the requirement is to enable the driver to know how fast he's going? If he has been educated in the metric system (as required by the curriculum) he may only understand kph, notwithstanding the contrary requirements of the laws pertaining to road signs (where it remains illegal to show distances in metres or km). As Bogush would say, hmmm...
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In January 2001, I personally imported a 1994 Mercedes G-wagon (bought used in Germany) with a kph-only speedo. The car has since passed 3 MOTs (at 2 different MOT stations) without even a comment made about the lack of MPH markings.
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