Checks to increase your success of passing your MOT

In the UK, MOT tests are a vital part of ensuring road safety and vehicle compliance. However, failing an MOT can be inconvenient and costly, leading to repairs and retests. The good news is, with proper preparation, you can help your chances of passing the MOT test first time. In this article, we'll outline some essential checks you can perform to ensure your vehicle is ready for its MOT, helping you sail through the inspection process and back on the road in no time.

• Dirty exterior and interior. Clean your vehicle inside and out, including your boot or you may get turned away. Examiners need to be able to safely and hygienically inspect the vehicle.
• Obscured number plates. Ensure your number plates are clean and legible, as obscured or illegible plates can lead to MOT failure.
• Windscreen and wipers. Check windscreen and wipers are in good condition.
• Lighting. From brakes to indicators, parking lights, reverse lights and hazard lights - check all lights work by asking someone to stand outside the vehicle to help you.
• Tyre pressure and damage. Check all four tyres and the spare – for wear or damage. Top up tyre pressures to the correct limits.
• Low fluid levels. Top up all fluid levels - screenwash, brake fluid and oil.
• Horn functionality. Often overlooked, but make your horn is working!
• Mirrors. All mirrors should be intact and secure.
• Warning lights on dashboard. Illuminated warnings on the dashboard could lead to an MOT failure. Make sure you know what they mean.

Maintaining your vehicle is vital for road safety and your MOT test. Here, we cover in more detail, key areas like windscreen care, tyre checks, lighting inspection, brake assessment, and dashboard warning lights. Regular maintenance checks can help ensure your vehicle runs smoothly - and passes its MOT with ease.

Check for cracks and chips daily - especially in zone A (image below), which would be classed as an MOT failure. It’s not just damage in the driver’s eyeline, it also includes things blocking visibility (such as faulty windscreen wipers, sat-navs, or even air fresheners!).

Checking your tyres regularly is vital. The legal requirement is that tyres need 1.6mm of tread across the central three quarters of the tyre. Use the 20p test to check your tread: insert a 20p in the tread and if you can see the outer band, the tread is too low.

Don’t just rely on the tread you can see, always check:

• Across the tyre for uneven wear as this could be mean poor alignment or poor inflation
• For any lumps or cuts which could cause a dangerous blowout

Ignoring your tyre tread and wear could not only result in an MOT failure and delays in getting your vehicle back, but you could be fined up to £2,500 and receive three penalty points per tyre!

Although vehicles will often warn you of issues with lights or indicators, you can’t rely on this. Switch all your lights on and walk around your vehicle to check they’re working. Do the indicators flash as they should? Don’t forget the number plate light. Ask someone to stand behind the vehicle to check the brake lights as you press the brake pedal. It’s also worth checking the condition of the lights. Plastic lenses can get misty over time and look out for any cracks in your lights too where water could get in.

Listen out for squeaking or grinding noises from your brakes, both are signs that the pads could be worn. When braking, does it stop in a straight line, or does it pull to one side? Don’t forget your handbrake, too. To check this, you can stop your car on a hill and apply the handbrake. Does it hold the vehicle? If not, it might need adjustment.

Dashboard warning lights serve as crucial indicators of potential issues within your vehicle. Ignoring these warnings could not only mean failing your MOT but it also compromises your safety and that of other road users. Key warning lights to look out for include, Electronic stability control (ESP), Safety restraint systems (seatbelts), Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and Tyre pressure monitoring sensors.

We explore dashboard warning lights in more detail in our article here Car and Van Dashboard Warning Lights: Know Their Meanings

As we’ve discussed in our article, it’s important to make time for regular vehicle maintenance and checks – not just at MOT time.

If you have a LeasePlan vehicle and it's maintained by us our Service Booking Line is there to help or you can book online here: MOT | Book your service| LeasePlan

If you arrange your own servicing, please speak to your usual garage or MOT centre about having your test carried out.

Top causes of Van MOT failures: Fleet Insights: Top Causes of Van MOT Failures | LeasePlan

Check your vehicle MOT status Check the MOT status of a vehicle - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)