Does a DIY check of avoidable fails
Thirty five percent of MOTs fail first time, and far too many are due to a simple avoidable reason. Don't worry, this is common sense not mechanical sense, after all. Some of the fails you can sort yourself, others will need a professional, either way getting it sorted pre-test is usually cheaper, after all...
Reason for failure | What % of MOTs failed | Checks to do beforehand |
Lights  |  | Are all lights fully working? Have someone sit in the car while you walk around checking every light... front, rear headlights and dipped lights, hazard lights and indicators. If any aren't working, buy a new bulb for a few pounds and replace it (it's easy in most cars, though a few do sadly make it more complex). |
Brakes  |  | Is there tension on the handbrake? Not easy to do yourself, and it will need a proper mechanic to fix. Yet if your brakes feel loose and unresponsive, or the handbrake simple slides up without resistence and can't be ratched at a set level, it's likely there's a problem. |
Suspension  |  | Check suspension. While a full suspension check is difficult, to see if the shock absorbers have gone, quickly apply your weight to each corner of the car then release. It should quickly settle back.. if not it's possibly a shock problem. |
Tyres  |  | Check tyre pressure. To check tyre pressure, look up what they should be, and take it to a petrol station to fill up. Check tyre tread. The tread is the depth of grooves that provide road grip, the legal minimum is a tiny 1.6mm (still enough to allow surface water to slip through which is the point). To measure this, take a 5p piece and turn it sideways (ie coin edge) and that is 2mm, so if your treads are deeper it's legal, if not, get them changed before the MOT. |
Windscreen  |  | Is the driver's windscreen damaged? Damage in the driver's central view should be no larger than 10mm and in the whole of the swept area it should be no larger than 40mm. If it is get it fixed pre test (often this is included by car insurance policies). Windscreen wipers? The front wipers are in the check and shouldn't have any splits, if they do replace before the test. |
Exhaust  |  | Is the exhaust leaking? To check, start the engine (in a well ventilated place, at normal temperature) and from the rear of the car listen for any unusual noises or abnormal smoke which might indicate a leak if it is get it fixed pre-check. |
Licence Plates | - | Can you read the licence plate? Make sure the licence plates are clean and easily legible from 20 metres away. |
Fluids | - | Are all fluids topped up? Check the brake fluid, windscreen washer and oil reserves. |
The Rest | - | An all over once over. Make sure the fuel cap is secure, mirrors are in good condition, and seatbelts etc are all fully functional. |
(1) Source RAC | ||
For a full list of each check type for every vehicle, see the Direct Gov website.
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