The most common MOT failures

You know the feeling - the annual trip to the MOT centre complete with crossed fingers and the hope that your car sails through, leaving you with only the cost of the test to cover. Often, though, our cars don’t quite hit the mark, and many of the reasons why are very common indeed. 

So what are the most common reasons why cars fail their MOTs?

Blown bulbs 

Often lights go out or are affected by condensation or damage and we don’t know anything about it until someone tells us, which is probably the reason why a fifth of all MOT failures relate to lights. Prior to your MOT, get someone to walk around your car to ensure all lights are working as they should. 

View obstructions 

From air fresheners (or, dare we say it, fluffy dice) hanging from your interior mirror to cracks in the windscreen, if there’s something obstructing the driver’s view out of the windscreen, it may fail your car’s MOT. Ensuring that you can see clearly out of the front of the car isn’t just a good idea in terms of passing, it’s also vital for safety too! 

Suspension issues 

If you’ve hit any troublesome potholes recently, chances are it’s affected the suspension on your car, and this could result in MOT failure. Keen an ear out for any unusual knocking noises when going over bumps, and get the car checked over if you suspect broken suspension. 

Tyres 

Tyres with tread that measures below the legal limit of 1.6mm are an instant MOT failure, as are lumps, bulges, cracks and punctures; it’s why tyres are a common reason cars don’t pass. It’s good practice to keep an eye on your tyres anyway, but particularly prior to your MOT it’s worth seeing if your tyres need any attention.  

Bad brakes

Brakes that don’t perform as they should will generally let you know that there’s an issue, and yet they’re a very common reason for MOT failure. Brake problems should be addressed as soon as you notice them, so if there’s squealing when you brake, the car veers to one side or the brakes simple aren’t stopping you as responsively as they should, don’t wait until your MOT to get it sorted.