If the thought of your annual MOT strikes fear into your heart and your budget, perhaps it is because you do not fully understand what your MOT inspector is looking for? Read on to find out exactly what your MOT inspector will be looking for, and then you will have a better understanding of how to make sure your car sails through its MOT without any expensive hiccups.
Inside
The MOT inspector will first sit in the driving seat and look all around the vehicle, using the windows, windscreens and rear-view mirrors. It is important to have as close to 360° vision as possible, with as small a blind-spot as can be managed, with a clear field of vision and correctly placed mirrors to help mitigate this. If anything is cluttering the inspector’s field of vision, this will cause an issue with your pass, so make sure you empty the vehicle of anything that does not need to be in there before the test! The inspector will also check the lights, brakes, indicators and even sound the horn. He or she will also check the amount of ‘play’ in the steering wheel.
Outside
An external check is conducted by walking around the car, looking closely at the various checklist items. These include the firm fit of bumpers and number plate, with the latter also needing to be clearly legible and in good condition. The car body should be clean with no major dents, damage or patches of rust. The inspector will also examine what can be seen of the tyres and wheels.
Underneath
Moving your car to an inspection pit, the inspector will look closely at the general condition of the chassis, and check out the exhaust system, the fuel tank and lines, the brake and steering systems – basically, anything that can be seen from underneath the car should be in good condition and untampered with.
Under the Bonnet
Once the car is off the inspection pit, the inspector will raise the bonnet and check inside. Once again, the general condition is considered, and the inspector will complete the checks of the brake, fuel, steering and exhaust systems so he or she has a good idea that these systems are complete and flow well, working within legal guidance. They will also check the screen-wash reservoir has an appropriate amount of detergent-laden water, and ensure that the radiator has sufficient water in it.
Brakes
Stopping power on the UK’s roads is all-important, and your brakes, despite having been checked during the interior checks and the under-the-chassis checks, will be rigorously tested to make sure that both the service and the hand brakes will help you stop quickly in an emergency as well as bring you safely to a more measured stop when that is required.
Emissions
The final test the inspector will do is that of your vehicle’s emissions. Having checked the exhaust system while under the hood and under the car, the inspector will know that the system is in good shape, with no obvious tampering of the catalytic convertor: now they will check how efficiently this is working by measuring the output of exhaust.
Now you know what your MOT inspector will be looking for, you can check out your own vehicle and be sure that it is MOT ready before you call MOT experts at Elite London and get to know all the important details like, how long an MOT takes, how much it will cost you, and when your appointment is!
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