It’s Worth Checking: These Small Issues Could Lead to MOT Failure

The MOT is a test that all cars in the UK should have legally once they are more than three years of age. Whether your car is coming up to three years old or you have bought a used car that’s now approaching its next MOT date, making sure that you’re prepared could help improve your chance of the car passing the test, and help you avoid extra expenses. While serious issues will need to be rectified whether they’re picked up before or during the MOT test, there are some smaller things that might cause a fail, which you’ll be kicking yourself for as they are often simple and easy to do.

Windscreen Wipers

Before you take the car to the MOT test centre, make sure that you check your wipers. If you’ve not fitted new ones for a while, there’s a risk they might fail the test. Check that your wipers completely clean the window – if they don’t, or there is a lot of residues left behind from the windscreen washer fluid, then new wipers are your best option. Similarly, if your wipers are making a nasty scraping noise on the glass, that’s a big sign they’re worn out and need to be replaced.

Tyres

Your tyres should be kept inflated correctly and have the right tread depth to be both legal and safe. Before you take your car for the test, check your tyres. Look for any signs of wear and tear that are unlikely to be acceptable. Tyres with a tread depth of less than 1.3mm will fail the MOT, so in this case, it’s best to get new ones before you go. Similarly, any rips, cuts, and slashes in the tyres will be a failure.

Electrics

Lights that aren’t working correctly could be an issue during the MOT, depending on the type of light that it is. Big ones are headlights, rear headlights, brake lights, and indicators. If any of these aren’t working, then your car will fail the test on safety standards, since you’re failing to inform other road users of what you’re doing on the road. Often, a simple bulb change will fix the issue, so make sure that you check your lights before you go.

Seatbelts

Finally, all the seatbelts in your car should be in good working condition in order for it to pass the MOT, as they are so important to your safety and that of your passengers. Before you take your car to be tested, check all your seatbelts and look out for issues like rips and tears that might cause an MOT failure. Any issues could cause problems for you, so it’s best to have them repaired or replaced – not only so that your car passes the MOT, but to make sure that you are travelling safely.

While you might think of big issues like steering rack problems or worn brake pads when it comes to MOT failures, your car might fail this important test due to smaller problems that can easily be rectified.