MOT Testing

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Book an MOT Test Online with Auto Services North Wales

You can now take advantage of being able to book your MOT right now 24hrs a day 7 days a week with our simple to use online booking system. Once you have made the booking you will receive an email confirming your booking. All that is left to do is turn up at the allotted time.

Book online

FREE Retest

If your vehicle doesn’t pass its MOT then we offer a free retest. To take advantage of this offer you must first book your mot with us online. Then, if your vehicle fails the test you have 10 working days to have any repairs made to your vehicle and we’ll give your vehicle a free retest.

MOT Checklist

General

WASHERS AND WIPERS
  • Operation.
  • Extent of area swept by wipers.
  • Condition of wiper blades.
HORN
  • Operation.
  • Control is easily reached by driver.
  • Loud enough.
  • Cannot be multi tone sequential type.
BODY CONDITION AND SECURITY

The body must not be so insecure or displaced that it could cause the loss of control of the vehicle when driven or cause a danger to other road users.

CORROSION

Corrosion is a complicated and wide ranging topic. It can be used as a reason for failure in many of the previous sections. A brief explanation follows:

A vehicle will fail for excessive corrosion in a ‘prescribed area’ ie within 30cms of various components such as brakes, steering, suspension, seat belt mounts etc. Also excessive corrosion not in a ‘prescribed area’ which is likely to adversely affect the vehicles steering or brakes. Excessive corrosion can mean a hole or significantly weakened structure.

SEATS
  • The front seats must be secure.
  • All seat backs must be securable in the upright position.
MIRRORS

Not all mirrors on all vehicles are subject to the test. This depends on the age of the vehicle but those which are must be:

  • Secure.
  • Visible from the drivers seat.
  • Not distorted or damaged so as to seriously impair the driver’s view of the rear.
FUEL SYSTEM

Any fuel leak or defect which will allow fuel to leak out will fail the test.

Fuel filler cap must fasten securely and seal must be in place and in good condition.

REGISTRATION PLATES & VIN NUMBERS

For any registered vehicle number plates must be:

  • Present.
  • Secure.
  • Not faded dirty or obscured.
  • Be composed of correctly formed letters, correctly spaced.

VIN plates are required on all vehicles firstly used on or after 1st August 1980 and must be:

  • Permanently displayed.
  • Consistent.
  • Legible.

  • Chips or cracks in the windscreen directly in front of the driver, in the area swept by the wiper blades, are acceptable if they are less than 10mm in diameter. In the rest of the swept area up to 40mm damage is acceptable.
  • Official stickers (parking permits, tax disc etc) in the swept area in front of the driver will fail if they are more than 10mm in diameter (40mm elsewhere).

All lights are tested for OPERATION, CONDITION and SECURITY.

SIDELIGHTS and HEADLIGHTS
  • Are of the correct type.
  • Are correctly aimed (headlights).
  • Operate dip & full beam (headlights).
STOP LIGHTS, INDICATORS and HAZARD LIGHTS
  • Are of the correct type.
  • Do not interact with each other’s operation.
  • Indicator tell tale or audible warning works.
REAR FOG LIGHTS
  • Must be fitted to the centre or offside of the vehicle.
  • Tell tale must work.
  • Must not interact with other lights.
  • Must not be obscured.
  • Must be red.
NUMBER PLATE LIGHTS
  • All original lights must be present and working.
REAR REFLECTORS
  • Two reflectors must be fitted fairly symmetrically be secure and not obscured.

notes: stop lights, indicators and hazard lights must be fitted to vehicles used on or after 1st April 1986, but if fitted must be tested. Rear foglights must be fitted to all vehicles used on or after 1st April 1980.

Most vehicles after 1965 must have seatbelts. Irrespective of this requirement, all seat belts fitted to a vehicle are inspected for:

  • Security of seatbelt mountings and locking stalks.
  • Security and operation of locking/release mechanism.
  • Condition of webbing.
  • Operation of retraction mechanism.

notes: The inertia locking mechanism is not checked on some vehicles where the belt is attached to the seat the security of the seat to the vehicle would also be part of the seat belt check. With regard to the retraction mechanism it is allowed to manually feed the belt back in.

INSIDE THE CAR
  • Antilock brake warning light (if fitted), is checked for operation and correct operating sequence.
  • Reserve travel on footbrake so that it does not reach the floor.
  • Excess wear of brake pedal rubber.
  • Correct operation of brake servo.
  • Parking brake for reserve travel so that it does not reach it’s end stop.
  • Parking brake mountings for corrosion and security.
UNDER THE BONNET
  • Master cylinder/servo checked for leaks under load Servo unit for correct operation.
  • Visible metal brake pipes for damage, corrosion, leakage or breakages.
UNDER THE VEHICLE
  • With load applied to footbrake.
  • All visible metal brake pipes for condition and corrosion.
  • Brake discs and drums checked for external condition and contamination.
  • Security and condition of backplates and caliper mounting devices.
  • Condition of brake pads (if visible).
  • Condition and operation of handbrake linkages and cables.
  • Leaks from brake compensator (if fitted).
BRAKE PERFORMANCE CHECK
  • The efficiency and balance of the front and rear brakes using a rolling road.

TYRE CONDITION
  • The reason for failure with respect to tyre wear is “The grooves of the tread pattern are not at least 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three-quarters of the breadth of tread around the entire outer circumference of the tyre”.
  • Tyres on any axle must be matched with regard to type, size and structure.
  • Also general condition of tyres, condition of valves serious cuts, bulges or other damage.
WHEEL CONDITION
  • Damage, distortion, cracks, distorted bead rim securely attached to vehicle, missing wheel nuts or studs.
  • The security of any externally fitted spare wheel or spare wheel carrier.

CHECKS UNDER THE BONNET
  • Upper Suspension Joints and any other suspension components which can be inspected from under the bonnet.
  • Security of steering rack or box and mountings.
  • Excessive play in steering rack or box.
  • Play in steering joints.
  • Any other parts of the steering system that can be seen from under the bonnet.
CHECKS UNDER THE VEHICLE
  • Front & Rear Suspension.
  • No split pins, nuts etc missing.
  • No bent or broken components.
  • Condition of road springs.
  • Condition of suspension joints for excessive play etc.
  • Shock absorbers for leakage & security.
  • Shock absorbers for damping action.
  • Excessive play in rack/steering joints under load test
  • Excessive lift/play in steering box.
  • Power steering for leaks etc.
  • Security of Rack/Box and mounting areas for corrosion or cracking.
  • Wheels and tyres for fouling vehicle body/hoses etc on lock to lock.
  • Condition of front and rear wheel bearings regarding play and noise.
  • Steering rack gaiters for splits, leakage, security etc.
  • Front outer C V boots for splits, leakage, security etc.
  • Metal/Rubber bushes for excess play or wear.
  • Locking or retaining devices.
  • Front drive shafts and C V joints (if applicable).
STEERING INSIDE THE CAR
  • Steering wheel in good condition.
  • Steering wheel securely attached to column.
  • Upper column bearings/bush for excess play.
  • Steering column for excess end float.
  • Clamping bolts checked for security.
  • Locking nuts and split pins.
  • Free play in steering.
  • Flexible couplings/universal joints for excess play.

Test Description
The exhaust system will fail the MOT if:
  • Part of the system missing or excessively deteriorated
  • A mounting is missing or damaged so it does not support the system
  • There is a major leak
  • The system is excessively noisy.
Emissions
These are checked using specialised equipment, the details of the check depending on the year that the vehicle was first used on the road. Excessive smoking (checked visually) is a reason for failure. Diesel smoke emissions are checked by using a smoke meter. Fuel system Any fuel leak will result in a fail. Checked under the bonnet and throughout the run of the fuel line from the fuel tank to the engine.
  • Fuel filler cap must fasten securely
  • The seal in the cap must not be torn, deteriorated or missing
  • No other defect which could cause fuel to leak out.

This check is carried out using special equipment. The exact details will depend on the age and model of the vehicle.

Excessive smoke is a visual check. Diesel smoke is tested using a smoke meter.