Common Myths surrounding MOT's

There are many urban myths surrounding MOT's, below we have listed some of the more common myths and answers. We hope that you enjoy reading them, and yes at sometime or other we have been asked these questions. Honest.

When is a first MOT test due?
How long will the MOT test take?" ...Or how long is a piece of string???
If a car fails an MOT. Is it then off the road? Is it illegal not to get it corrected straight away? How long do you have to get it repaired?
I don't think my car should have failed the test or I don't think this car should have passed a test - what can I do?
My MOT expires more than a month from now - can I still have my vehicle tested this soon?
My speedo isn't working - will that fail?
My engine is knocking and has a bad oil leak
My spare wheel and tyre is bald / flat / been stolen / missing / different size / dented
My mirrors are broken / missing
My reversing lights are not working
My engine is burning oil when it starts up or when I pull away from traffic lights or junctions
My car can't fail the emission test because it's got a catalytic converter
You won't find anything wrong - it's just had a full service!
I've been stopped by the police and I need to produce all my documents but I've just realised my MOT expired and ran out a while ago - what can I do?
My car failed the MOT on welding. I've had the welding done but the MOT station failed it again, saying the welding wasn't up to standard. How can this be?
My car has failed the test and it isn't economical to repair - what do I do now?

When is a first MOT test due?"

On most cars and light vans, the first test is due on the 3rd birthday. The exception to this is on ambulances, taxis and minibuses with 9 passenger seats or more, when the test is due on the 1st birthday. If the test is carried out up to a month in advance and the original registration document is shown at the time of test, the MOT certificate can be dated to expire 12 months from the date due.

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How long will the MOT test take? ...Or how long is a piece of string???

Some vehicles take longer than others for various reasons. Some are more awkward to jack up to check the front and rear suspension, some take longer on the emission testing, some have component which are more difficult to see and check, some cannot have a "rolling road" brake test and have to taken out for a brake test on the road (vehicles with limited slip differentials, permanent four-wheel-drive vehicles, certain automatics).

Generally allow around 40 minutes for the test itself and the paperwork afterwards. It may take a little less or a lot more.

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If a car fails an MOT, ie, is it then off the road? is it illegal not to get it corrected straight away? how long do you have to get it repaired (if you can't afford to straight away..)?

With the MOT scheme, there is no actual time limit for a car to be retested. We once had one come back for retest after over a year, and after checking with the guys at the Vehicle Inspectorate, because it hadn't been tested in between, it was classed as a retest. Having a MOT failure sheet does allow you to drive on the road without a MOT certificate - but ONLY to be driven to have pre-booked repairs carried out or going back for a pre-booked retest (so chances are if you were to get stopped at 11 at night, you couldn't use that as an excuse!).

If the fail was carried out before the last certificate had run out, the old certificate would cover any driving around while repairs were waiting to be done - but there again, driving around in a car knowing that it's failed a test, I think, is an offence. Complicated or what?

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I don't think my car should have failed the test or I don't think this car should have passed a test - what can I do?"

Firstly talk to the MOT station that carried out the test as ask them to explain their decision on the pass/fail. It could be that the vehicle should either pass or fail according to the rules and some items are not even in the test [see "what's tested and what's not"].

If their answer doesn't satisfy you for some reason and as long as the period from the original test is less than one month (three months in the case of corrosion) you would need to get in contact with the nearest area office of the Vehicle Inspectorate. Addresses and phone numbers are always available from any local MOT testing station as are the Notice of Appeal forms (VT17's) which you would have to fill in.

The Vehicle Inspectorate would then arrange for the car to be re-tested by one or two of their testers at a time and place convenient to you as soon as possible (there may be a fee payable to them which depending on the result could be all or part refunded). It is very important to drive the vehicle as little as possible and to carry out NO repairs until the re-inspection has been carried out.

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My MOT expires more than a month from now - can I still have my vehicle tested this soon?"

Yes you can, in fact there is nothing stopping you having your vehicle tested every day of the year! Some people change the date their MOT is due because they are going on a long holiday or because they do their own repairs and it's easier to fix a car in the summer than in the cold of winter. You would lose any unexpired time on the old certificate however.

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My speedo isn't working - will that fail?"

No - your speedo is not checked in the test

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My engine is knocking and has a bad oil leak"

So what? Neither item will fail the MOT test. If the engine is really knocking or tapping, it may have an effect on the emission test. You should only start to worry if any oil drips onto the testers head - they are only human after all (are they not?). Engine mountings are not checked either. The only leaks that would fail are power steering and brake fluids and any fuel leaks.

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My spare wheel and tyre is bald/flat/been stolen/missing/different size/dented"

Spare wheels are not even looked at in the MOT test, unless they are insecurely mounted and likely to fall off.

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My mirrors are broken/missing"

This one is a bit more complicated. It depends on the age of the vehicle, but basically, you must have a driver's door mirror and either an interior mirror or passenger door mirror. They must not be loose and the glass part must not be broken or cracked.

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My reversing lights are not working"

Not even checked in the MOT test - the tester might get run over while looking!

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My engine is burning oil when it starts up or when I pull away from traffic lights or junctions"

Another complicated one - as a general answer if the smoke clears, it won't fail, but if clouds of smoke pour out every time you rev the engine ...... sorry, it's going to fail.

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My car can't fail the emission test because it's got a catalytic converter"

Oh yes it can! However, on newer vehicles that have 'cats' there are numerous engine sensors. If any one of these break or fail, it could cause the vehicle to fail the emission test. It may not necessarily be the catalytic converter. Also, if the exhaust is leaking (i.e. "blowing") that could also lead to a failure.

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You won't find anything wrong - it's just had a full service!"

Oh Boy your asking for it! Telling an MOT tester that they won't find anything - bet they do! Anyway, many service items are not part of the MOT test and many test items are not part of a service - get the idea? The same applies when you have had new tyres or brakes fitted - those "technicians" are not looking at or for the same things that we are.

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I've been stopped by the police and I need to produce all my documents but I've just realised my MOT expired and ran out a while ago - what can I do?"

All you can do is have a new MOT test done. MOT certificates cannot be backdated. Chances are (in our experience) if the vehicle isn't in a dangerous or unsafe condition and it passes without any problems, apart from a caution, as far as the MOT is concerned no further action will be taken.

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My car failed the MOT on welding. I've had the welding done but the MOT station failed it again, saying the welding wasn't up to standard. How can this be?"

When welding repairs are carried out, the old rusty metal has to be cut or ground away. Then a new piece of metal can be welded in its place. The rules state that the new metal used must be at least as strong as the metal replaced, and the welding must be seamed (ie continious).

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My car has failed the test and it isn't economical to repair - what do I do now?"

It's a shame when any vehicle comes to the end of its life, but when this does happen, it has to be disposed of properly and safely. Most local councils can arrange for proper disposal - at a fee (long gone are the days when you could actually get money for scrapping a car).

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