Like everyone, we all want our MOTs to pass without any problems. That’s why many of us book services or quick fixes beforehand to minimise time and money spent. It can be tough to know what needs fixing though, which is why having an MOT checklist to hand can be useful.
The DVLA recently revealed that almost 50% of MOTs fail due to simple maintenance issues. It is important to check all aspects of your car’s MOT. If you discover any issues, ensure you get a professional if you’re not a car maintenance expert. DIY repairs can end up costing you a lot more.
Below, we give our advice on what to check before your MOT is due.
Headlights and indicators
Check that all of your car’s lights function properly including headlights, sidelights, rear lights, hazard lights, brake lights and indicators.
Wheels and tyres
Check that your wheels and tyres are undamaged. The minimum legal tyre tread depth is 1.6mm and any tyres with less than this will be marked as an MOT ‘fail’. If you’re in doubt about how much tread is left on a tyre, your local garage or main dealer can check for you. The dealer can also advise on the type of tyre that is right for your car if a replacement is required.
Windscreen
There are two different areas to look for damage to your windscreen: the area immediately in the driver’s field of view & the surrounding area outside of that. If there’s a chip in the glass right in the driver’s field of view it has to be less than 10mm in diameter to pass an MOT. Outside of that zone, cracks in the windscreen need to be less than 40mm in diameter to be within safe and legal limits.
Screenwash
During an MOT, the tester will pay close attention to the operation position and function of your wind screen wipers and washers.
Washers will be required to work in order to pass the mot test. Even running out of water in your screen wash bottle is enough to cause an MOT failure.
Wiper blades must be in good condition and be of the correct size for the vehicle they are fitted too. They must provide the correct range of wipe to allow the driver to have an un-obscured view of the road ahead.
Number plate
You can fail your MOT due to the condition of your number plates. If your number plate is obscured, damaged or has any features that effect or change the appearance and legibility of the characters, it can result in a failed MOT test.
As a result, before going to your MOT test centre, it is a good idea to ensure your number plates are clean and legible, as this could save you a significant amount of time and money.
Oil
The oil check is an important part of an MOT because without it, the garage will not be able to test emission levels.
You can check this by taking a quick look under the bonnet. As you would when checking the brake fluid, do this test with the engine off and cool and the car parked on a flat, even surface.
Locate the dipstick and pull it out, then wipe off any excess oil to ensure that you’re starting with a clean stick. Next, dip the dipstick back in and remove once more. You should see the oil sitting between the ‘min’ and ‘max’ marking on the dipstick. If you don’t, it’s time to top up your oil.
Seatbelts
Lastly, one of the more unlikely but most crucial part to your vehicle would be your seatbelt. During the MOT test your seatbelt will fail if it is: cut, frayed or unable to clip into the holder.
If you would like to book your car in for its MOT, please give our friendly team a call to make an appointment.
