In order to prove that they are safe for the road, vehicles older than three years old are vital law for them to undergo an annual MOT Telford test. By reading this article, you may learn more about the MOT, including the five most common and straightforward reasons why automobiles fail the test. You can also find a checklist to help you give your vehicle the greatest possible chance of passing the inspection, which will allow you to avoid the potential cost and bother of doing the test again.
Actualities of MOT Test
After a vehicle has been on the road for three years (or four years in Northern Ireland), it is vital to pass an annual inspection to ensure that it complies with all applicable safety and environmental regulations.
The acronym “MOT” refers to the test set out by the Ministry of Transport.
In every region of the country, there are authentic test centres where motorists may get their vehicles inspected for their MOT. These centres all have official blue signs with three white triangles on them.
Your vehicle will be set open to dozens of inspections during a MOT. These inspections will include everything from the brakes and fuel system to the lights, mirrors, seatbelts, windscreen wipers, and exhaust system.
How Much Time Does a Mot Take To Complete?
However, there are a few other factors that one needs to consider, and the typical time required for a MOT test is between 45 and 60 minutes.
First, the process will take significantly more time if your vehicle fails the inspection and needs repairs.
It is against the law for a testing centre to let you drive away in a vehicle that has failed a MOT until the flaws are remedied. The only exceptions to this rule are if your previous MOT certificate is still valid or if you are taking the vehicle to have the defects fixed.
Second, the inspection might take an hour or less, but even if there aren’t any issues that need to be static, this doesn’t mean that your car will only need to remain at the shop for an hour and a half at the bare minimum.
The testing centre may require you to bring your vehicle there first thing in the morning and pick it up once it is ready.
This indicates that you should get yourself ready to spend the day without your automobile.
The Top Five Most Common Reasons for Vehicles to Fail Their Mot Tests
On the first try, about a third of all MOT inspections are failed.
However, this is frequently the result of small issues that the vehicle owner could have corrected themselves before paying for a test.
The following are some reasons why a MOT could give your vehicle a failing grade.
1. The screen wash did not have enough in it. Don’t let the fact that this simple task takes a few minutes throw you off.
2. The vehicle lacked cleanliness and was chaotic with many items. Clean up the mess in the trunk and interior, and don’t forget to wipe down the windows and mirrors.
3. A difficulty with the registration plate. For instance, the plate may have had the wrong type of face or spacing, been unclean, or been entirely absent. If you have a personalised licence plate, you are responsible for ensuring that it complies with DVLA regulations.
4. Decal stickers on the windscreen obstructing the driver’s view. Make sure that anything stuck to the windscreen, such as parking permits, is set outside the area where the wipers will clean.
5. A warning light that is well-lit on the dashboard. Since 2012, the MOT has required lit-up warning lights to be inclusive. Make sure you are aware of the significance of any warning lights that are well-lit in your vehicle and attend to any issues that may exist well in advance of the MOT.
What Happens if Your Car Fails Its Mot?
If the MOT test for your vehicle is unsuccessful, the testing centre will provide you with a VT3O Certificate that details the reasons for the failure.
The MOT category definitions for passes and failures were efficient on May 20th, 2018.
If there is a malfunction in your vehicle that could endanger other people, you will not be permitted to drive it away. If the garage where you received the MOT also does repairs, ask for an estimate from them, and then phone around to other garages in the area to get estimates from them. Even if they have to haul your vehicle to their garage to make the repairs, you might be able to locate a more affordable option.
If your vehicle has a significant problem but it is still roadworthy, you might be able to get away with driving it.
Opens in a new window, and your prior MOT does not yet have to undergo reassertion.
If your vehicle’s MOT has expired but is still roadworthy, you can drive it to a pre-booked MOT inspection and have any problems addressed there.
Suppose you are caught up driving a vehicle with no valid MOT under any other circumstances or driving a vehicle with dangerous flaws. In that case, you may receive a fine of £2,500, a driving ban, and three points on your licence.
MOT Retests
Before you can take your vehicle back out on public roads, any serious and potentially hazardous issues with the vehicle’s operation must be set, and a partial retest of the vehicle’s ability to pass the MOT must be set up.
If you fail the MOT and leave your vehicle at the testing centre to have it repaired, you will be eligible for a free partial retest, provided the retest is set up within ten working days of the initial failure.
In most cases, you won’t have to pay for the inspection if you take your car to get fixed and bring it back by the end of the following business day. It all relies on which sections need to undergo retesting to determine whether or not it’s free.
If you take the same test again within ten business days at the same location for a partial retest, you will have to pay a reduced rate, but you will still have to pay for it MOT Telford.
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