5 simple checks to pass your MOT first time, every time

The bulb you meant to swap, the wiper that leaves a smear, that tiny chip in the glass you’ve convinced yourself isn’t “in the zone”. The test doesn’t care about intent, only outcomes, and a silly slip can cost time, money, and your commute.

The queue outside the test bay on a grey Tuesday always looks the same. A hatchback idling, a van with last week’s mud on the plates, a driver looking down at a dashboard that suddenly feels like Times Square. Someone nudges a wiper, someone else taps a brake pedal for a friend filming the lights with a phone. You can taste the mix of coffee and nerves.

Inside, the tester moves with calm routine, but it never feels routine when it’s your car. The door shuts, the rollers begin, and the waiting room settles into that hush you only hear when people are all hoping for the same thing. Something simple usually decides it. A silly little thing.

One tiny fix can change the whole day.

The five-minute ritual that saves MOT heartbreak

Start with lights, because they’re the easiest wins and the most common fails. Walk a slow lap while your hazards tick, then switch through sidelights, dipped, main beam, indicators, fog lights, and don’t forget the number plate lamp. Use your phone camera like a pocket mirror for brake lights: prop it on selfie mode against a wall, press the pedal, and watch the screen glow.

Around a third of cars in Britain flunk the MOT first time, and lamps are consistently near the top of the reasons. A friend in Leicester failed on a 30p tail bulb at 9:20, bought a replacement at 9:35, and passed at 10:10 — but lost half a morning and a slice of pride. That’s the shape of most MOT “drama”: not catastrophic, just preventable.

Why does a bulb matter so much? Because visibility and communication are the core of safe driving, and the MOT is built around that. The rules are blunt for a reason: if your brake lights don’t show, nobody behind knows you’re stopping; if your plate lamp’s dead, your identity isn’t clear at night. Simple things carry big consequences.

Five simple checks, done right

Tyres decide how every other system meets the road. Grab a 20p piece and push it into the tread across several spots — if you can see the outer band, tread could be below the legal 1.6mm and that’s a fail. Look for cuts, bulges, or cords peeking through like threads; then set pressures to the door-sticker figure, cold. Fresh air won’t win you points, but an even footprint helps braking and balance on the rollers.

Windscreen and wipers come next, because your view is the MOT’s north star. Fill the washer bottle right up; a dry pump is a needless fail. Replace torn blades and remove that winter film with a proper screenwash, not fairy liquid. Chips bigger than 10mm in the driver’s line of sight, or 40mm anywhere in the swept area, can sink you, so clean the glass first, then judge the mark, not the dirt. Soyons honnêtes : personne ne fait vraiment ça tous les jours. Do it the night before and breathe.

Dashboard lights tell their own story at ignition. The engine management, ABS, and airbag warnings should light up, then go out; if they stay on, the car can fail. Tap the horn for a crisp note. Clip every belt and give a sharp tug — frayed, cut, or stuck belts are fast-track fails that don’t care how new your tyres are.

“Nine times out of ten, the thing that fails a car is the thing the owner meant to fix last weekend,” one veteran tester told me, half-smiling, half-sighing.

• Pack: 20p coin, spare bulbs, screenwash, microfibre, tyre gauge.
• Clean: number plates, mirrors, lights, inside of the windscreen.
• Check: brake lights, plate lamp, wipers, horn, warning lights.

The quiet confidence of a clean pass

We’ve all had that moment when the tester walks out, paper in hand, and your stomach does a tiny cartwheel. This is about shrinking that feeling. Do the five checks the evening before, not under the fluorescent glare of the bay, and you’ll notice how the car feels calmer in your hands. Let’s be honest: nobody actually does that every day.

There’s a side effect too: you start to see your car the way an MOT sees it — not as a personality, but as a pattern of signals, edges, and moving parts. That perspective makes you a better driver. It also makes you the person who brings the microfibre to the petrol station and quietly wipes a number plate streak others ignore.

None of this is glamorous, and that’s the point. These small rituals stack up into a kind of everyday competence that feels rare and valuable. You can swap a bulb in supermarket light, top up the washer in a lay-by, and nudge a belt back into smooth motion. The pass is nice. The habit is better.

FAQ :

• Do I fail the MOT if the engine management light is on?Yes. On cars equipped with a malfunction indicator, a lit engine management light is a Major defect. The ABS or airbag light staying on can also cause a fail.
• Will low tyre pressure fail the MOT?Not by itself, but dangerous tyre condition will. Inflate to the correct pressure for safe testing and look for cuts, bulges, or exposed cords.
• Are dirty number plates a fail?They can be. Plates must be legible, the correct font and spacing, and lit at night. A quick clean and a working plate lamp save grief.
• Can a windscreen chip fail the test?Yes if it’s larger than 10mm in the driver’s line of sight, or over 40mm anywhere in the swept area. Clean the glass first to judge it properly.
• How do I check brake lights without help?Reverse close to a wall or garage door and press the pedal, watching the reflection, or use your phone in selfie mode as a makeshift mirror.