The top reasons your car will fail its MOT… and the simple steps you can take to fix them
ALL motorists can relate to the stress of the annual MOT check - and the sense of dread when the vehicle is turned away for a minor fault.
But what if there was a simple way to avoid the hassle and cost of multiple roadworthy tests? Luckily, there is.
A study has shown that a number of the most common reasons cars fail their MOTs are surprisingly simple to fix from the comfort of your own garage.
Statistics have shown why a number of Brits struggle to get their car on the road, with electrical faults the most common cause of failure.
Analysing almost 30 million records, price comparison site MyCarNeedsA.com found that 19 per cent of cars won't be deemed roadworthy due to a simple fault with a lamp, reflector or piece of electrical equipment.
Results suggested that a significant percentage of drivers could avoid an MOT rejection by simply replacing a light-bulb or reflector themselves prior to their testing date.
Brake faults were the next most common reason for an MOT not being issued, while suspension ranked third.
Surprisingly, almost 11 per cent of vehicles were failed due to the "driver's view of the road", where things like missing windscreen wipers were the issue.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR MOT FAILURE
- Lamps and Electrical faults - 19%
- Brakes - 14%
- Suspension - 12%
- Driver's view of the road - 11%
- Tyres - 10%
- Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions - 8%
- Steering - 7%
- Seatbelts - 5%
- Body Structure - 5%
- Reg Plates and VINs - 4%
- Road Wheels - 2%
- Not tested items - 2%
- Towbars - 1%
Issues with registration plates, seat belts and body structure ranked lower down on the list, but were amongst some of the most obvious faults for owners to easily identify and flag with their mechanic before their car is put through its roadworthy assessment.
MyCarNeedsA.com managing director Scott Hamilton said that the majority of common failures were easy fixes, and simple measures could be taken to avoid motorists having their cars rejected.
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“Our data shows that the main failure categories are lighting and signalling, including faults such as failed bulbs and misaligned headlights; brakes; tyre damage, as well as tyre wear; drivers view of the road, including windscreen damage, windscreen wiper faults, windscreen washer not working and missing, or faulty mirrors,"
"The majority of MOT failures can be fixed quickly and cheaply by motorists, before they book their vehicle in for an MOT.
WHAT TO DO: FIXES YOU CAN TRY YOURSELF, AND THE ONES YOU SHOULDN'T
- Lamps and Electrical faults - Fixing most lamp, headlight or brake light outages is often as simple as replacing the bulb. Headlight bulbs are accessible from the back through the bonnet, while rear light casings, such as the ones for your brakes, can usually be accessed through the boot. Consult your car manual to ensure you purchase the correct bulb. Leave wiring issues to a trained mechanic.
- Brakes - Don't mess around with these unless you really know what you are doing. Consult your mechanic if you think you have an issue.
- Suspension - Like your brakes, this should be left to a mechanic.
- Driver's view of the road - New windscreen wiper blades can be purchased from any auto shop. On most vehicles they simply slide out of the wiper casing. Take your old blades into the shop with you to ensure you get the right size, or consult your car manual.
- Tyres - Use the 20p test to check your tyre depth is legal. Take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can't see the outer band on the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit. If you can see the outer band, or the grip won't even hold your coin, you'll need your tyres replaced.
- Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions - Another mechanic-only job.
- Steering - Take it into the garage unless you want your car to only drive around in circles.
- Seatbelts - Repairing broken seatbelts can be as simple as lubricating the belt's retracting mechanism. Consult your car manual to see how to remove the belt's casing, and lubricate all moving parts.
- Body Structure - Simple dings and dents can be popped out using hot water and a plunger. For most other damage, it is best to visit a panel beater.
- Reg Plates and VINs - Number plate holders often come with a number of screw holes to allow you to move your plate so that it is not obstructed in any way. VIN numbers are usally located under the hood on the back wall of the engine bay. Make sure they are clear of dirt and grim, and can be read easily.
- Road Wheels - Changing a road wheel is as simple as loosening the bolts slightly, jacking the car up and unscrewing it properly. Make sure you put your spare tyre under the car to protect you if your jack fails. When placing a new wheel (with tyre already fitted) on the car, line all the screw holes up, and reverse the process you did taking the wheel off.
“Many of these faults can be picked up by regular maintenance and can be detected by the owner, by a very simple walk-around inspection of the car."
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