Understanding the primary reasons to fail the MOT

It’s a well-known fact that as vehicles get three years old in the UK, it becomes mandatory for them to clear the MOT test. MOT is something that most people dread. If your vehicle clears the test, you are out of the hassle. Otherwise, you have to go through the whole exercise again and this can be exhaustive and tiring. Every year, quite a number of vehicles flunk this test due to minor issues.

It is advisable to get a pre-MOT check before appearing for the main MOT Test Leamington Spa test. Your vehicle should remain street-worthy at all times to ensure your safety on the road. This blog will help you to get a clear idea about the MOT. You’ll get to know some common areas where your vehicle fails this test and you’ll also get to know the tips that’ll help you in avoiding them. So, let’s get started.

How can you avoid simple errors in MOT?

· Lights of the vehicle

Almost one-fifth of the cars which fail the test because of lights. You can’t even imagine your lights going wrong at the test centre. For this, just turn on all your lights and stroll around your vehicle to find any issue. Check if the indicators are flashing correctly. Also, check for any cracks in the lights. In case the plastic of the lights is dusty or misty, clean it well.

· The brakes

Brakes are another primary reason for failing the MOT. Before you go for an MOT, check if your brakes are making any kind of squealing noise. Also, measure your braking distances.

· Suspension

When the suspension goes wrong, your car makes unusual sounds. Observing a carefully parked car is the only way to check your suspension. There can be a shock absorbed that’s found leaking or a spring that might be snapped. Check for these issues yourself.

· Tyres

Tyres are another significant part of a vehicle that are often neglected by the owners. Tyres mainly fail because of the damaged tread. For this, do a coin test yourself to check the amount of tread left. Insert the coin with the head side down. If it’s completely invisible, that means your tyres are working well.

The legal limit for the tread is 1.6mm. Check the tread from various parts of a tyre. If it goes anywhere below this, it’s time to buy new tyres. If you continue with the same tyres, you’ll definitely fail the MOT Leamington SpaYour sidewalls are a big support system for the tyres. Check for any cracks or bulges in them. Get the wheel balancing and alignment done in advance.

· A blocked windscreen

Now, this seems to be a bit weird, but most vehicles do fail this test because there are issues with the windscreen that affect the view of the driver. A chipped screen or cracks in it can block the driver’s view. While driving, you may not notice this, but this issue can’t get away with the sharp eyes of the technician testing your car. This also includes checking the bonnet of your car to see if it’s closed properly.

MOT is not something to be scared of. If you are regular with your car servicing and maintain your vehicle well, there’s no reason you’ll fail this test. You just need to be a bit pro-active in your approach.