MOT failures easily preventable
Carrying out simple checks and basic driveway DIY could prevent 1.5 million MoT failures every year, according to automotive expert, Warranty Direct.
Research conducted by the leading used vehicle warranty provider indicates that doing basic maintenance and replacing some accessible car parts at home could slash the number of MoT failures recorded in the UK each year.
With a current national MoT failure rate of 39.52% and a government set maximum MoT price of £54.85 there has never been a better time to undertake some driveway DIY.
Increasingly complex cars put many motorists off maintaining their own cars, but the list of simple jobs that can mean the difference between passing and failing an MoT includes changing light bulbs, replacing windscreen washer fluid and checking parts like wipers and tyres.
Warranty Direct managing director, David Gerrans, said, ‘It never ceases to amaze us how many MoT failures could be avoided with the simplest of pre-test checks. Things such as making sure there are no cracks in your number plate, your wheels and tyres are undamaged and ensuring there are no tears or holes in the windscreen wiper rubbers are all things the motorist can do at home, but if left to test day can be the cause of MoT failure.’
An empty screen wash container can also cause an MoT fail, as can blown headlights, sidelights, rear lights, hazard lights and indicators all of which could mean forking out for a re-test.
The top 10 things for a motorist to check before any impending MoT test are:
Ranking Item To Check
1 Headlights and indicators
2 Brake lights
3 Number plate
4 Wheels and tyres
5 Seats and seatbelts
6 Windscreen
7 Windscreen wipers
8 Screenwash
9 Horn
10 Fuel and engine oil
For even the most anxious home mechanic, everyday actions, such as ensuring your vehicle is filled with enough fuel and engine oil, will ensure you are not turned away from an MoT for having insufficient levels of fluids required for testing.
