How to Prepare Your Vehicle for an MOT Test?

Posted by Metthew Short
3
Jan 17, 2024
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MOT is an annual mandatory test for your vehicle to drive legally in the United Kingdom. If you are planning to do your vehicle MOT in Luton then you can give us a chance. We are one of the best MOT centres in Luton having a team of expert testers who will diagnose your vehicle within an hour

There are over 500 ways to fail an MOT test but the fact is nearly half of all failures are minors and can easily prevented. Ensuring that your vehicle is maintained not only means that you will be safe, but it also saves you money in the long run.

You can save money by taking the time to get your vehicle ready for its MOT test. By carrying out a few pre-checks at home, you can give your vehicle the best chance of passing and help to save additional costs.

10 Tips to Prepare Your Vehicle for an MOT Test
Here is a simple checklist you can follow at home to prepare your vehicle for an MOT test:

1. Check your Dashboard for Warning Errors
Don’t ignore the warning errors showing on your vehicle dashboard. The vehicle will tell you half its problems with the help of warning lights on the dashboard so take it seriously if you want to pass the MOT test. 

If the warning lights show up during your vehicle MOT test then it creates a negative impact on your MOT test so get them investigated beforehand to avoid potential failure. 

2. Check If the Lights are Working Properly
Check if your vehicle lights working properly including hazard lights, fog lights, indicator lights, headlights, and brake lights. If your car has blown bulbs then it can affect the MOT results because it is the single biggest cause of failures and is one of the easiest and cheapest to fix. 

3. Check the Tyre Pressure and Tread
Check if your vehicle tyre treads are worn out or not because this will affect your driving experience so the tyres must be in good condition. The minimum tread requirement for a passenger car is 1.6mm. If you are caught driving a car that has less than 1.6mm tread then you could face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty pointers per tyre.  

As a vehicle owner, you can check the tyre's tread at home. If vehicle tyres are worn out then replace the tyres before applying for an MOT test. 

4. Check the Windscreen and Mirrors
Check for windscreen damage or any type of scratches on mirrors. Windscreen damage is a simple but very common cause of failure in MOT tests, so carefully check it. If you see minor cracks in the widescreen use a resin to hide it before the Mot test. 

Make sure that the windscreen washers work properly and have an adequate amount of reservoir so that the pump will work as normal during the MOT test.

5. Ensure the Wipers are Working Properly
Check if your vehicle wiper blades work properly because if it doesn’t then it can damage the windscreen and leave spots on the windscreen. Wiper blades are easy to replace and take less cost.

6. Check the Exhaust
To check if your vehicle exhaust is working properly, start your vehicle and give it good revs. Notice if the exhaust isn’t leaking and there aren’t any strange smells, noises, or smoke coming from the exhaust of your vehicle. Excessive noise or dark and visible smoke from the exhaust may result in MOT failure.   

7. Check your Vehicle Brakes
Notice any weird behavior when applying brakes such as any squeaks, rattles shakes, soft brake pedals, and increase in stopping distance, these are all signs that your vehicle has a breaking problem. Change your vehicle brake pad every 50,000 miles but it also depends on your driving style and the road you are driving on.  

8. Check the Basic Safety Components
Check the basic safety parts like the horn, seatbelts, and handbrake. These all need to be fixed if they are having trouble before applying for the test. In the MOT tests the priority they are giving to safety, so you need to first address those basic safety components. 

9. Top-up your Vehicle’s Fluids
Top-up your vehicle brake fluid, screenwash, and oil. One of the major causes of MOT failure is emissions, especially in diesel vehicles. In order to pass the MOT test check if your vehicle fluids are top-up. Nowadays Pre-MOT fuel treat packs are now available on the market, helping to clean out the fuel system before going to MOT test.

10. Give your Vehicle a Quick Clean
You don’t want to fail an MOT test for not cleaning your vehicle. Clean your vehicle ensuring all the mirrors, number plates, and windscreen are properly clean before going for an MOT test.  

Conclusion 
If you pre-checked your vehicle and fixed all the issues then you are now ready for your vehicle MOT test. If you are looking for an MOT in Luton then visit our garage, we have an experienced tester who will do an MOT test of your vehicle in less time at a reasonable price.
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