Side lights

[CRH]

I don’t know whether it’s relevant but at the moment I have a failed steering column module, meaning I have no indicators or high beam, along with lots of warnings such as reduced braking. . However my hazard warning lights still work.

That's one thing going for it

 

[Blackwolf]

The hazard switch appears to be wired directly to the BCM so the SCU plays no part. The other lights are controlled from the SCU over CANbus to the BCM.

 

[landmannnn]

Fairly quick response from engineering to my dealer's aftersales manager:


Both in EU and in GB (UK - excl. NI), lighting requirements are coming from UNECE R48.

And the “parking lights” are optional, meaning that it is not mandatory to provide.

Again, both EU and GB authorities are approving our vehicles as authorities to allow us sell vehicles in these markets, and they do not mandate this function.

Authority for granting type-approvals to vehicles is VCA and not DVSA.

Authority means no duality of rules.

 

[landmannnn]

Fairly quick response from engineering to my dealer's aftersales manager:


Both in EU and in GB (UK - excl. NI), lighting requirements are coming from UNECE R48.

And the “parking lights” are optional, meaning that it is not mandatory to provide.

Again, both EU and GB authorities are approving our vehicles as authorities to allow us sell vehicles in these markets, and they do not mandate this function.

Authority for granting type-approvals to vehicles is VCA and not DVSA.

Authority means no duality of rules.

As a result it does appear case closed.
It would be interesting to click on contact us and ask the VCA why they type approved a vehicle that did not meet the UK Lighting regs and MOT standards.

 

[Blackwolf]

After looking at the VCA website it seems that issues with in-service vehicles is not within their sphere of operations, and their "contact us" process more-or-less eliminates the possibility of making a general enquiry. They do refer this sort of question out to DVSA and IVS to both of which I have already written, DVSA on 06/11/25 and IVS on 07/11/25. Both of these have quoted response times that mean it is unrealistic to expect a reply for some while yet.

If anyone else felt so inclined to raise the issue with them the email addresses are enquiries@DVSA.gov.uk and IVS.ENQUIRIES@dft.gov.uk respectively.

It is also possible to report a safety defect (which I would argue that this is) directly from the page

Vehicle recalls and faults

What to do if your vehicle, vehicle part or accessory is recalled, has a registered fault and how to report serious safety defect you find

www.gov.uk

 

[CountyV8]

To comply you need to see that in righting from the reverent authority .
One party cant just say it does.

 

[Blackwolf]

As a result it does appear case closed.

Closed as far as our dialogue with IA is concerned, they have made their view very clear. It is not closed as far as challenging what appears to be either a misinterpretation of UNECE R48 or a dangerous flaw with the current legislation.

 

[landmannnn]

After looking at the VCA website it seems that issues with in-service vehicles is not within their sphere of operations, and their "contact us" process more-or-less eliminates the possibility of making a general enquiry. They do refer this sort of question out to DVSA and IVS to both of which I have already written, DVSA on 06/11/25 and IVS on 07/11/25. Both of these have quoted response times that mean it is unrealistic to expect a reply for some while yet.

If anyone else felt so inclined to raise the issue with them the email addresses are enquiries@DVSA.gov.uk and IVS.ENQUIRIES@dft.gov.uk respectively.

It is also possible to report a safety defect (which I would argue that this is) directly from the page

Vehicle recalls and faults

What to do if your vehicle, vehicle part or accessory is recalled, has a registered fault and how to report serious safety defect you find

www.gov.uk

Playing devil's advocate, surely the DVSA will respond with "we are not responsible for vehicle type approval, since this vehicle has been type approved by the VCA it is out of our hands"

 

[Blackwolf]

...

It is also possible to report a safety defect (which I would argue that this is) directly from the page

Vehicle recalls and faults

What to do if your vehicle, vehicle part or accessory is recalled, has a registered fault and how to report serious safety defect you find

www.gov.uk

OK, scrub that, the DVSA "report a serious safety defect page" doesn't work! Firstly it rejects practically every non-alphanumeric character as prohibited (such as brackets), and if you do manage to get past that proble and click 'next' you get a "request blocked by our security service" message. Fantastic!

 

[CRH]

OK, scrub that, the DVSA "report a serious safety defect page" doesn't work! Firstly it rejects practically every non-alphanumeric character as prohibited (such as brackets), and if you do manage to get past that proble and click 'next' you get a "request blocked by our security service" message. Fantastic!

Is that because of how your computer is set up, I didn't complete it but could get to where it was asking about the last service & dealer. It did seem to be as though the problem was new and not a vehicle specific, rather just my vehicle

 

[Blackwolf]

Quite possibly, I tried again from a computer on a .gov.uk network and it worked. It is still very picky about the characters you can use, but when you submit the form the acknowledgement contains a proper email in case you want "to contact the team".

I suggest that the more of us who report a safety concern by this method the more likely it is that they'll investigate. Para 3.1 of their code of practice (defining a safety issue) perfectly describes the situation.

 

[Blackwolf]

Here's another interesting discovery, the exemptions that allow you to park without lights on a road with a 30 mph limit etc do not apply to goods vehicles with an unladen weight in excess of 1,500 kg, so if you have an N1 type -approved Grenadier or Quartermaster you can't ever legally park it on any public road between sunset and sunrise.

 

[Eric]

Here's another interesting discovery, the exemptions that allow you to park without lights on a road with a 30 mph limit etc do not apply to goods vehicles with an unladen weight in excess of 1,500 kg, so if you have an N1 type -approved Grenadier or Quartermaster you can't ever legally park it on any public road between sunset and sunrise.

I think M1 is also limited to 2500 kg, I sure I've seem something along these lines applying to motorhomes
P.S. Just checked a vehicle over 2500kg can not be parked on the carriageway at night without lights irrespective of the speed limit. ego the Grenadier can't be parked on any public road at night.
It would appear that the police don't enforce this, many Land/ Range Rovers parked on the streets at night in towns.