There are new changes to the MOT test coming into effect on the 20th May 2018 find out here how to avoid the new harsher punishments!
The new criteria is in aid of making Britain’s cars more environmentally friendly as tougher emissions tests are enforced, from now on things like smoke can fail your car immediately, especially for diesel cars! If smoke is coming out of the exhaust this is classed as a major fault, even if this is due to a diesel particulate filter.
The main change, however, is that any faults will now be rated into one of three categories – dangerous major and minor:
- Minor faults are classed as issues that have no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment
- Major faults will be any issues where the car is thought to be less safe and have an impact on the environment
- Dangerous faults, however, pose an immediate risk to road safety and have an impact on the environment.
New rules state that if you take your car for an MOT before it runs out and then fails you cannot keep driving until the old one runs out, this will result in a £2500 fine! This was due to motorists taking their car in early to check if work needed doing, however, the new rules mean it will be registered as unroadworthy immediately no matter how long is left on the old MOT.
Among the new tests will include checks for Steering, breaking and lighting. Even small cracks in your wing mirror or windscreen can mean you fail under new rules.
In a quote from the RAC they have criticised the new changes "Rather than MOT failures simply being black and white, the new system creates the potential for confusion as testers will have to make a judgment as to whether faults are 'Dangerous', 'Major' or 'Minor'” RAC spokesman Simon Williams
Fix up your car before the test date with Megavaux spare parts!