A Complete Guide to New MOT Test Changes and How It Will Affect You

by Automotive Services Car Service Garage in Harrogate

From 20 May 2018, a new version of MOT is effective in England, Wales and Scotland. In addition to the new defect types, some revamped rules have come into place.

Introduced as a part of European Union directive, the new and revised set of rules is more comprehensive in scope and affects any light passenger vehicle, i.e. cars, vans, motorcycles etc. Especially for diesel car emissions, drastic changes have been in place.

If your car is due for its MOT, here are a few new regulations which you will need to pass through with flying colours.

Significant changes at MOT tests

1. Different categories of defects

Defects found during an MOT test are now categorised into following:

• Dangerous

What It Means: The vehicle is an immediate on-road safety risk, or it has a severe impact on the environment.

Verdict: Fail. Don’t drive the vehicle until it’s repaired.

• Major

What It Means: The vehicle has damages that may affect its safety, put other road users at risk, or cause irreconcilable pollution.

Verdict: Fail. Repair immediately.

• Minor

What It Means: No significant effect on the safety of a vehicle and no impact on the environment.

Verdict: Pass. Monitor and repair as soon as possible.

The category a car gets from the MOT tester depends on the type and severity of the underlying issues. There will also be advisory notices for any negligible problems of a vehicle which can be monitored and repaired later.

2. Emission levels

Limits on diesel car emissions are now stricter than the previous MOT test. If any car with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) emits visible smoke of any colour, it will be considered as a significant fault, and the car will fail the tests.

DPFs will also be checked to see if it was removed or tampered. Removing DPF can increase fuel economy, but pollutes the air with harmful particles coming out of the exhaust unfiltered. That's why eliminating or tampering this filter is illegal and doing so can cost you the MOT pass certificate and worse (a € 1000 fine).

3. Brand new MOT additions

Further regulatory mandates are added to the procedure along with previous ones. These tests include:

• Reversing lights on all vehicles.

• Headlight washers for vehicles first used from 1^st September 2009.

• Contaminated brake fluid.

• Fluid leak checks to see if it's posing any environmental risk.

• Brake pad warning lights, or if a car misses any brake pads or discs.

• Daytime running lights on vehicles first used from 1^st March 2018, though many of these vehicles will have their first MOT in 2021.

However, a tyre should have a minimum tread depth of 1.6 mm across the 3/4^th of the tread around the whole circumference of the tyre to pass the MOT.

If your car's tyres don't match this requirement, you are left with two choices. Either you replace the tyres, or you get a tyre repair Harrogate from a professional garage like HG Motors before you go for an MOT.

4. Changed certificate

The design of the MOT certificate has changed in appearance. It lists any defects under the new categories, making the outcomes clear and straightforward to understand. The MOT history check service is also updated to reflect the changes.

5. Historical vehicles won’t need MOT

According to new rules, only vehicles made before 1960 are exempt from requiring an MOT Harrogate or anywhere in the UK. It means cars older than 40 years won't need to apply for MOT starting.

Understanding the new and revised rules helps you to avoid an MOT failure. Save up on both time and avoidable expenses.

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Created on Dec 24th 2018 00:45. Viewed 422 times.

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