Blog / pre-MOT checks

MOT · 4 min read

Before Your MOT: Quick Checks That Prevent Most Failures

A lot of MOT failures are for things you can check on the driveway in ten minutes: a blown bulb, a perished wiper blade, a tyre near the limit. Lighting and electrical faults are the single biggest failure category in published analysis of DVSA data (see the MOT statistics), so start there. Everything below is on the official test list.

Lights

Switch everything on and walk round the car, ideally with a helper: dipped and main beam, side lights, indicators front, side and rear, hazard lights, fog lights, reversing light and number plate lights. For the brake lights, ask your helper to press the pedal, or reverse up to a shop window or garage door and look for the reflection.

Tyres and wheels

Cars need at least 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its whole circumference. Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls too. Our guide to checking tread depth at home shows how, and tyre pressure is worth setting while you're there.

Windscreen, wipers and washers

A chip larger than 10mm in the driver's direct line of sight can fail the test, as can one over 40mm elsewhere in the wiper sweep. Check the wipers clear the glass cleanly without smearing, and that the washers work and the reservoir is topped up.

Horn, mirrors and seat belts

The horn should work, the mirrors should be secure and not cracked, and every seat belt should latch, retract and be free of fraying.

Dashboard warning lights

The engine management, ABS, airbag and electronic stability control lights should all go out shortly after you start the car. A light that stays on is worth investigating before the test, not during it. Our guide to warning lights explains which ones matter.

Fluids, fuel and leaks

Make sure the car has enough fuel and oil, since a tester can refuse to start otherwise. Check the brake fluid level, and look under the car for fresh drips. Our fluid check guide walks through the rest.

Number plates, brakes and steering

Plates should be clean, readable and firmly fixed. Check the handbrake holds on a slope and the brake pedal doesn't feel spongy or sink. If you hear grinding or squealing, see what's actually wrong with noisy brakes. Steering shouldn't feel loose or make odd noises.

Make the car easy to test

Empty the boot, give the car a quick clean, and check that the bonnet, boot and fuel cap open freely. If you book up to a month minus a day before your current MOT expires, the new certificate still runs from the old expiry date, which leaves time to fix anything that turns up.

What you can't check yourself

Headlamp aim and brake efficiency need the garage's equipment, and there are some things only a lift will show. None of this replaces the test, it just stops you paying for a retest over something simple.