The MOT – standing for Ministry of Transport test – is a yearly legal requirement to ensure your car is safe to be on the roads.
The test assesses four aspects of your vehicle: safety, functionality, identifying issues, and emissions. All aspects need to meet the criteria set out by the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) in order for you to receive your pass certificate.
An MOT is different to a service. Whilst servicing isn’t a legal requirement, it helps to keep your vehicle in good condition and identify any potential running issues. It evaluates your vehicles condition, rather than it’s safety on the road.
It’s more common than a lot of people think for your vehicle to fail its MOT. Between July and September of 2024, the initial fail rate for cars and vans was 27.73%. There’s a multitude of reasons your vehicle might be deemed unsafe for the roads, but here’s the most common reasons of recent years.
Lights and Signals
Lights are something we use every single day, so it’s understandable that it often slips our minds to check them.
Luckily they’re one of the easiest checks to do – if you find a window or reflection, you don’t even have to get out your car. Remember to check all your lights, which include:
- Dipped headlights
- Full beams
- Fog lights
- Indicators
- Hazards
- Sidelights
- Tail lights
- Brake lights
If you find one of these not working, the first step is to find the issue. The majority of the time the cause will be a broken bulb, which is an easy fix. You can carry this out at home if you know how, or get in touch with us to help.
If a bulb isn’t to blame, it could be a blown fuse or damaged wiring. The best plan of action is to take it to a garage where they can identify the cause for you.
Tyres
A lot of us are guilty of delaying changing our tyres, as it can be quite a big expense. However your tyres being in poor condition can cost you your MOT certificate.
Take two minutes to do a visual check of your tyres (are there any cuts and bulges?) and do the 20p test. If you’re unfamiliar with the 20p test, this measures your tread depth. Insert a 20p into the tread and if you can see the outer band, your tyres are too worn down.
If you need new tyres, get in touch with a friendly local garage like Bodymek to help.
Windscreen wipers
Another incredibly easy check: wipers. Make sure your wipers can sufficiently clear water off your windscreen (remember to check both front and back).
Whilst you check this, make sure your washer fluid is at the correct level and top it up if necessary.
Suspension
This can be one of the more difficult issues to spot. With the frequency of potholes in UK roads, it’s no wonder it’s a common reason for MOT failure.
There’s little you can do to check this without being a professional. However, take a minute to look at your car parked – does one corner or side sit lower than the other? If you’re having doubts, take it to a garage to be checked out before your test.
Road view
Many people assume an MOT only includes technical car parts, but it can include things as simple as if the driver has an unobstructed view. This can be anything from a sat-nav disrupting clear vision of the road, to a crack in your windscreen.
Remember to do a quick visual test before your test and adjust things as necessary.
Although there’s a long list of checks you can and should do before your MOT, these five will cover some of the most common reasons for failure. If you have any doubts or your MOT is overdue, give us a call on 01604 589179 or get in touch on our website.
