Motorists warned of car accessory that could lead to £2,500 fine ahead of MOT - Edinburgh Live

2022-05-29 11:23:06 By : Mr. Leon Fu

Drivers are being warned as a common accessory can lead to a hefty fine if spotted during the MOT test. Here are 10 other MOT checks all drivers need to make before getting it their car serviced.

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While driving may seem like a fun and easy way to get from A to B, looking after your vehicle correctly can cause a lot of stress and cost a lot of money.

Getting your vehicle serviced, paying tax, getting an MOT, paying insurance and filling it up with petrol are all just some of the necessary requirements before you even set off.

Whilst there have been discussions about scrapping the annual MOT, driving without one currently means you would be breaking the law.

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The Mirror reports that Michael Bourne, group marketing director at National Tyres and Autocare, has warned drivers they could face a hefty fine of up to £10,000 on top of three points on their license.

He said: "On top of this, if you have been convicted of driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition within the past three years, you could be disqualified from driving for at least six months."

Whilst most drivers are aware of offences such as parking fines and speeding tickets, there are also lesser-known observations that you need to be aware of to save your car from being deemed dangerous on its MOT.

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Some motorists may not be aware that adding certain accessories to their car might lead to an MOT fail as well as a £2,500 fine if your vehicle is considered to be dangerous.

Decorations like a rear view mirror car accessory can diminish the driver's visibility while on the road.

MOT experts at National Tyres and Autocare have highlighted the following pre-MOT checklist for you to follow:

Factors such as a blown bulbs, a broken number plate light or a faulty indicator can lead to MOT failures. Your car can also fail if your headlights are misted, misaligned or cracked.

So before conducting an MOT, check that all lights - including headlights, indicators, number plate lights, sidelights, fog lights and brake lights - are functioning well.

An MOT test will cover fluids like screen wash, so make sure you've topped it up. Also ensure your car has enough oil in its engine to pass the the exhaust emissions test too. It's worth topping up other fluids like engine coolant prior to the MOT.

To check your fluids, park your car on an even surface, pull out the oil dipstick and wipe it clean. Then insert it back in for a minute and remove it, checking the level is between the MIN and MAX marks on the dipstick.

Suspension issues can indicate a leaking shock absorber or snapped coil spring. This might not be easy to spot, so listen out for unusual noises or strange driving characteristics when cornering or braking.

You can also do 'bounce test' to find out about any suspension issues.

To do this, push down on each corner of your vehicle and let go. If everything is good, the car should immediately spring up to its normal position rather than bouncing up and down.

Remember to check your steering too and make sure it's responsive.

You could also fail your MOT test if your car has any corrosion or rust within 12cm of any structurally important area of the vehicle.

The presence of any sharp edges that could cause injury could also result in failure. To check, look around the exterior surfaces of your vehicle and the engine bay.

Issues with the brake due to worn brake pads and or worn, pitted or warped brake discs will lead to you failing the MOT brake efficiency test.

You may be able to see the pads and discs through your alloy wheels, so check each one thoroughly. Also try listening out for any grinding sounds when driving.

Take note of other things like if the brake pedal feels spongy or if the vehicle pulls to one side when you brake. Make sure to check the handbrake as well.

The law requires 1.6mm of tread depth across the entire central three-quarters of the tyre. You can check this using the simple 20p test.

Just insert the the coin into the tread groove of each tyre. If the outside of the coin is visible, then it means the tread depth is less than the required 1.6mm.

Tyres must all be the same size, have the correct load and speed rating. Drivers also need to check tyre pressure as well as for any bulges or lumps in the tyre tread or wall.

According to the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association, your number plates must be clearly visible, free from damage and completely laminated.

The plates cannot have background overprinting, fixings or features that obscure their legal view. Any vehicles registered after September 1 2001 also need to have a honeycomb construction, with all plates properly affixed to the car.

All handle releases including the bonnet, boot and doors must work correctly so check whether they stick and if they do, oil them before your test.

Seats and seatbelts should be an important part of your pre-MOT checklist. Make sure all seatbelts can be secured into their locking mechanism too and that the seats can move backwards and forwards to be locked in position effectively.

Check each seatbelt by pulling down sharply and make sure you feel it lock in place.

Any issues affecting the driver's view of the road can lead to MOT failure. Check if wipers are working properly and if you can squirt the washer fluid onto your windscreen.

Inspect for cracks in the windscreen within the range of the wiper blades and make sure there's nothing like a dashcam, sat-nav or any other object obscuring the screen.

Finally make sure to check that your screen-wash is topped up.

Check if you can hear your exhaust blowing and whether you can smell exhaust fumes inside the car. Also listen out for unusual rattling or banging during normal driving to check that exhaust is attached properly

Noise, emissions and leaks are key environmental aspects of the MOT test and if any of the above is found inefficient, you could fail this aspect of the test.

Honk your horn with a friend or family member standing some distance away to see if other people on the road can hear it clearly.

While the interiors of your car are not a specific part of the test, make sure that your dashboard warning lights are working properly.

If all is good, they should come on when you turn the ignition on and then turn off after a moment. If any of the lights are still showing after a few moments, get this checked out before the MOT test.