One and a half million vehicles fail their MOT due to simple things that could have been easily avoided by carrying out a few simple checks before the MOT, check out or MOT checklist to avoid failing your MOT and saving on failure costs.

MOT Failure Checklist 

1) Tyres & Tyres 

Firstly make sure that all your tyres and wheels are free from damage and are inflated to the vehicle advised level. A good way to know your correct tyre pressure is to check out the vehicle handbook and use a tyre checker. Another key thing to check here is the tread around the whole of the vehicle - this has to be 1.6mm as a minimum legal requirement. We recommend that you change your tyres when the tread reaches 3mm and to ensure your vehicle is road safe. 

Is your thread below 1.6mm? Call us now and ask for our part-worn tyre department. Part-worn tyres areaffordable and great to get you back on the road. We also fit.

2) Mirrors  

Check your mirrors (inside and out). All mirrors need to be secure, free of damage and intact. Any damage to your mirrors is a fail on your MOT so make sure that these are all good before heading into your MOT. If you need to replace your wing mirror simply call our parts department for a price on our effective, used green parts. 

3) Internal Checks

Make sure to check your seatbelts are working correctly. A good way to check this is if you pull sharp on the seatbelt and it should lock into place, this is correct.

Check for warning lights on your dashboard as this will be included in any MOT test and could indicate issues with your vehicle. Make sure all lights light up when you start your vehicle and then they should turn off immediately. If any of the warning lights remain lit then you should fix the errors or have your car seen to before your test. 

Test that your seats can be adjusted forwards and backwards - this is required to pass an MOT test!

4) Lights 

Check your headlights, indicators, rear lights, hazard lights and brake lights to make sure they are all functioning correctly and work. Simply get a friend or family member to help you out, they can check the lights as you switch them on and off. Unsecured light mounts are a common MOT failure. If you have any issues with your lights get in touch with our parts department today.

5) Windscreen and Wipers 

Any damage within your windscreen that is larger than 40mm will cause an MOT fail as well as any damage on the drivers side that is larger than 10mm in size. Windscreen damage is often covered by your vehicle insurance.

Check that your wipers are keeping your windscreen clean without any damage to the rubber as this will also result in MOT failure, both your wipers and washers could be in suitable condition and have a consistent cleaning function. 

Make sure to top up your screen wash before heading into your MOT test, this is such a simple task but if you are caught with an empty or low screen wash tank it will result in an MOT failure.

6) Brakes

If your car pulls to one side when you apply the brakes this then indicates a problem that will need to be addressed before going into your MOT. You should also test your handbrake as this will need to be strong enough to hold your vehicle when it is stationary, especially if your vehicle is parked on an incline. If you have alloy wheels, it should be possible to carry out a quick visual inspection of your brakes. Make sure to look at the excessive wear of brake pads or pitted brake discs as this could be an indication that your brakes need replacing.

7) Number Plate 

Make sure your number plate is legible and that the spacing of the letters complies with legal requirements to avoid an MOT failure.

8) Fuel and engine oil 

Your vehicle will need enough fuel and oil to carry out the MOT. You can be turned away from your MOT without sufficient levels.

9) Horn

Check your horn is working properly as a faulty horn will result in an MOT failure. If you need a replacement horn simply call out parts department and we will be more than happy to help.

10) Exhaust 

Listen to your exhaust (whilst the vehicle is running) for any excessive noise or rattling whilst also checking for any excessive smoke coming from the exhaust. If you have fuel or oil leaking from your exhaust then this probably indicated that you have problems with your spark plugs or glow plugs and means that you are not warming/burning fuel properly. Get this checked out before your MOT.