Once a car is three years old, it has to undergo an annual MOT inspection.
On this page, we would like to give you some information about the procedure.
These are the most common questions of our customers:
What happens if my car does not pass the MOT?
Here the most important information about MOT.
The purpose of MOT testing is to check the roadworthiness of your vehicle. This ensures that only safe vehicles are on the road and that there is no danger to passengers or other road users from technical defects in the car.
Your car has to be inspected every year, once it is three years old. To avoid lengthy waiting times, you should make an appointment a bit in advance. Here at Autotech Hartlepool we always do our best to accommodate all our customers at the times of their choice.
In urgent cases, emergency appointments may be available.
MOT is required by law and is intended to prevent vehicles with safety defects from being used on the road. Another reason is environmental protection, as the exhaust emission test is included in the MOT inspection.
Here at Autotech Hartlepool, a Class 4 MOT test costs £40 and class a 7 MOT £55.
During an MOT test, the condition and functions of most components of the vehicle are examined. This includes the following categories:
Additional equipment (like First Aid Kit etc.)
You can find a complete list of all inspection points on the DVLA website.
If a police check reveals that you have exceeded the MOT inspection deadline, it can have serious consequences, including a hefty fine.
Will my insurance pay in the event of an accident if the MOT is overdue?
The simple answer is NO.
There are a few things you can do to influence the results of an MOT test.
Take your vehicle for regular servicing - interim service every six months or 6000 miles/full service every 12 months or 12000 miles.
We at Autotech Hartlepool Ltd. also offer a Pre-MOT check.
If we find any faults, such as lights that don't work etc., you can have them repaired/replaced before the test. You can also have insufficient oil or coolant levels, low tyre pressure or insufficient tread depth corrected beforehand. We also make sure that you have a warning triangle, warning vest and first-aid kit in your car.
If your car passes the general inspection without any problems, you can be happy - now you have peace of mind for one year. However, if defects are found during the MOT test, you must have them repaired.
Please note: Not all defects result in an MOT failure.
For some defects, you will receive a so-called Advisory note in which the MOT tester informs you about parts of the vehicle you should
keep an eye on, and get repaired in case it gets worse.
Faults classified as Minor mean the vehicle has still passed the MOT test, but there were issues found that need fixing asap as they could otherwise get worse and cause problems.
For more details, please have a look at the GOV.UK [1] website.
The inspector will write the defects found in the inspection report, and they must be repaired within ten working days. You will then have
To present the vehicle to the testing station again for a partial re-test.
In case your old MOT certificate has already expired, you are not allowed to drive the vehicle in the meantime.
We hope you found our MOT information page helpful.
If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
If you would like to book an MOT test Hartlepool with us, you can do so directly via our website, over the phone or directly at our workshop.
Our team will always be happy to help.