Pre-MOT Check

What should I check beforehand?

Once your car or van reaches its third birthday it will need its first MoT test – and it will then be an annual event. By having your car regularly maintained by the experts at Eden you will minimise any potential issues, but there are pre-MoT checks you will be able to do yourself before putting your vehicle in for a test which will help you get a pass first time.

Our expert technicians have shared the best ways you can avoid a fail with our pre-MoT checks.

Tread carefully – The first Pre-MOT check should always be the tyres. They are the biggest failure points for MoTs, and the tester will be taking a good look at your rubber. As part of your pre-MoT check you should take a good look at the tread across the whole width of the tyre. This is much easier on the front if you put the steering on full lock one side and then the other, but you might have to use your phone torch to check deep in the wheelarches at the back.

If the tread blocks are below 1.6mm tall across the centre ¾ of the surface, the tyre will fail the MoT. To save you getting out a ruler or using a dedicated gauge, 1.6mm is about the thickness of a 2p coin, but we’d recommend changing your tyres if they get lower than 3mm, as it makes a distinct difference in wet weather grip.

You should also be on the look out for bulges and cuts in the sidewalls, and make sure the tyres have been put on the right way by looking for directional arrows.Text here ...

Brake expectations – Anyone who has witnessed an MoT will know the brake test is a key part of the checks. The technician will drive the car onto rollers and then measure the effectiveness and balance of the brakes on each wheel.

As part of your pre-MoT check, you should find a quiet stretch of road and then try stopping when it is safe to do so. If the car pulls to one side or makes a grinding noise, then it is time to get your brakes checked by the experts at Eden.

Also check the parking brake to make sure it holds the car securely – if it is weak then it could fail the test.

The tester will also not be impressed if there is a brake or ABS warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, so get Eden to check it out as soon as possible.

Wipe out – We often neglect our windscreen wipers but this is a necessary Pre-Mot check. These two strips of rubber are vital to keeping us safe in bad weather. As they degrade slowly over time, you might not even notice they are wearing until they split completely, but a new set of blades could make a real difference to your visibility.

A worn or split blade will also be an MoT failure, so ask the experts in Eden’s aftersales department to help you source and swap your wipers.

Bright ideas - Checking your lights is the easiest ‘DIY’ check you can do before an MoT. The simplest way to make sure they are all working is to ask a friend to watch as you operate the lights from the driver’s seat, or you can check your reflection when parked in front of a glass window. Don’t forget to check the foglamps and rear number plate bulbs too.

While swapping a dodgy bulb might be simple enough, any broken lenses will get a fail from the tester. They will also not be keen on sun damaged cloudy headlamps, aftermarket ‘Xenon’ conversions and stick on beam deflectors for driving abroad – so make sure they are are removed before the test.

Belt up - The tester will be checking the condition and operation of the seat belts, so as part of your pre-MoT check you should make sure the fabric is not frayed or damaged and the buckle clips in and releases easily. This will need to be done for every seat in the vehicle, so make sure the belts aren’t trapped or hidden underneath a folded rear bench, for example.

The tester will also be making sure the airbag and seatbelt warning lights function properly. Any issue here should be checked out as soon as possible, as it could mean the safety systems might not function as they should in an accident.