Most common causes of MOT failure

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by: Matt Robbins
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Word Count: 533
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 Time: 9:20 PM
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There are many different causes of car MOT failure that could leave you paying a bigger bill, and in many cases these issues could be simply fixed or are easily avoidable.

In many cases car tyres are to blame for the failure of an MOT and as something that can be easily checked beforehand it could save motorists time and money if they made sure these were replaced before the examination.

Looking at tread depth and wear on the tyres in particular is fairly easy to do and could help you immensely when you go for your car's MOT.

As well as car tyres there are many other areas that are checked during an MOT and it could be worth your while checking all or some of these in order to give your car the best chance of passing, by giving yourself the chance to make changes to any problem areas or parts of the vehicle.

In order to make sure that you pass it is also worthwhile to make sure that you stay up to date with the servicing of your vehicle as this could save a lot of problems and potentially be the difference between a passed and failed MOT.

It is worth checking that both the external and internal parts of your car are looked over before an MOT and making sure that you get any problems or potential problems checked is important.

Internally it is worth looking at the handbrake and getting any problems sorted if it is not holding your vehicle or needs adjusting. Making sure that your footbrake is working properly and is well tuned is also important and could be vital for safety as well as passing your MOT.

If you notice that your steering wheel is not feeling secure or is not as responsive as you think it should be this is again worth having checked out.

Inside mirrors need to be securely placed and seat belts and buckles need to be checked for deterioration so that they do not fall apart, get stuck or open without being disengaged. Making sure that doors are easy to open and close will again improve your chance of passing the MOT and make sure that passengers are safe and secure inside the car.

Doors should be checked from both the inside and outside; as should the windscreen which can be checked for cracks and fractures that could impair the drivers vision. If you have a crack or chip it should be fairly obvious so make sure you get it sorted before your MOT and before the crack or chip becomes more sinister.

Making sure that your car emissions are not dangerous and that the exhaust system is working smoothly is another area that could become extremely dangerous and fuel leaks could have dire consequences.

Making sure that your registration plate is not damaged and is visible is another simple but important part of the MOT and could mean the difference between success and failure.

Although some of these problems can seem trivial many of them contribute to MOT failure and could be extremely dangerous if not sorted regardless of the need to be rectified for a car MOT.

About the Author

Matt Robbins - Online Manager of Halfords Autocentre (previously Nationwide Autocentre) have more ATA trained mechanics than any other independent garage group being the UK's leading provider of Brakes, Tyres, MOT and car repairs across the nation.
For all other enquiries, call 0800 096 4216.