< Go Back Preparing your Car for its MOT If your car is due for its annual MOT check, then you might like to take some preparations to avoid pointless costs. One third of all cars that are tested, fail every year usually due to small defects that are found during the inspection. Most of these can be fixed before the test, whereas the bigger problems might need to be dealt with by a mechanic. If you take your vehicle to your local garage and ask for a pre-MOT check, your car will be ready for the actual inspection.
Another advantage of getting your vehicle looked at before the MOT, is that if you know what is wrong with it, you can always shop around for the best price to get anything fixed. You can check a few things yourself like windscreen wipers which have to be in good condition to get through the test and must not be worn or damaged in any way. The washer bottle has to be full too. If you have a chip in your windscreen that obstructs the driver’s line of vision, your car will fail its MOT inspection. Tyres have to be inflated to the right pressure and must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread across ¾ of the tyres central circumference. Make sure there are no nicks, bulges or damage on the tyres.
All lights on your vehicle must be working and this includes the registration light over your rear number plate. Check to make sure no lenses or casings are cracked or damaged. Make sure all seat belts in the car are in good condition and working properly. Number plates have to be securely fixed and readable. If you make the effort to check your vehicle before its MOT, then you can be sure your vehicle will not fail its inspection for any minor reasons.