Hello and welcome to another blogpost. Always a nerve-racking time because you never know what’s going to flag up. With the new MOT rules just out in the UK, there are all sorts of things they can now pull you up on.
I’m fairly confident the van will pass. I keep on top of the maintenance and have done various bits and pieces with suspension and brakes on this van over the past year. So I know that all the components are in good condition otherwise, I would’ve replaced them already.
There are a few little checks on the van I need to do just to make sure I don’t fail on something silly like bulbs, window wipers, fluids, or an oil leak. So I’m going to go around the van now and go over some checks that you can do as well on your vehicle before you take it to the MOT Aberdeen. It’s not an extensive list, but it’s certainly useful to avoid failing on something that’s easily fixable.
Let’s go have a look around the van and check all the little bits and pieces to make sure we’re going to pass.
Checking the Lights and Indicators
The first and easiest thing to check is your lights indicators, brake lights, fog lights, and so on. We’re going to check those now on the van. You’ll need the keys for this.
- Side lights: check
- Full beam: check
- Indicators: check
- Hazards: check
- Fog lights: check
- Reverse lights: check
You can test your brake lights by either asking someone to stand behind while you press the brake pedal, reversing up to a window and using mirrors, or setting up a camera and reviewing the footage.
Tyre Condition
Next, check the tyres. Ideally, jack the van up to inspect closely. You want to check the tread depth and look out for wear indicators on those little bars in the grooves. A few of mine are borderline, so I may get them changed just to be safe.
Fluids and Wipers
Make sure your washer fluid is topped up. Check the oil level. I recently changed the oil, which is a good idea before an MOT, especially on diesel vehicles, to reduce smoke emissions. I still need to add more coolant. Check the condition of your wiper blades. They should not be cracked or worn. Also, check that your horn works.
Final Checks
Top up washer fluid and coolant. You may need to remove the plastic cover to see it clearly. Look underneath for any obvious leaks of oil, coolant, etc. I had a small oil leak before but fixed it during the last oil change.
Check for warning lights on your dashboard. Also, check for any visible smoke from the exhaust, especially with diesel vehicles, as that’s a big fail under the new rules.
Make sure there’s enough petrol or diesel in the tank before taking it to the MOT, as the test involves revving the engine, and you don’t want to run out.
Tyre Replacement
I decided to get new tyres. The old ones probably would’ve scraped through the MOT, but they would’ve been flagged. Since tyres would need replacing soon anyway, it made sense to get it done now. Quick Fit fitted them. My MOT appointment was at 12 today. I had to reschedule it because they couldn’t get my tyres in yesterday.
Post-MOT Result
Just got back from the MOT testing station and the van passed. I can’t say it was entirely due to my pre-MOT checks, but keeping up with maintenance definitely helped. If you work on your vehicle throughout the year replacing worn parts and keeping things in good condition you’re much more likely to pass an MOT with no issues.
Now, I’ve got something else to do today: checking out another car to buy not for me, this time, but for my girlfriend. That will be in an upcoming blogpost. Before going for a test, make sure to do car servicing Aberdeen.
Inspection Once Again
Top up washer fluid and coolant. You may need to remove the plastic cover to see it clearly. Look underneath for any obvious leaks of oil, coolant, etc. I had a small oil leak before but fixed it during the last oil change.
Check for warning lights on your dashboard. Also, check for any visible smoke from the exhaust, especially with diesel vehicles, as that’s a big fail under the new rules.
Make sure there’s enough petrol or diesel in the tank before taking it to the MOT, as the test involves revving the engine, and you don’t want to run out.
There are a few little checks on the van I need to do just to make sure I don’t fail on something silly like bulbs, window wipers, fluids, or an oil leak. So I’m going to go around the van now and go over some checks that you can do as well on your vehicle before you take it to the MOT. It’s not an extensive list, but it’s certainly useful to avoid failing on something that’s easily fixable.
