The MOT first started on 12th September 1960 – but whilst an annual requirement, initially it only applied to vehicles over ten years old. That changed in 1961 to vehicles over 7 years old, and then six years later in 1967 the current three-year old vehicles having to have their first MOT was set up. That remains the case today. Even now, however, nearly six decades later (58 years!) there is some confusion amongst motorists as to the true nature of an MOT inspection. Many people believe that a new MOT certificate is a general guarantee that a vehicle is in good condition. Yet that is simply not true. Whilst many adverts for second-hand cars say, “sold with a new MOT”, as if that were some sort of warranty – in fact the MOT is entirely concerned with roadworthiness, and whether or not the vehicle’s emissions breach the standard required for that specific vehicle. It is primarily about road safety and air pollution.
Testable items
The MOT inspection consists of a lot of very specific and sometimes complex examinations of a vehicle’s safety related components. The MOT Tester who carries out the inspection is bound by the ‘Testers Manual’ a document which not only notes in great detail every item which has to be inspected, but also describes how the Tester is supposed to carry out their inspection of the so called, ‘testable items’. These are primarily vehicle components which if excessively worn or in a sub-standard condition could be subject to failure and potentially endanger road safety. Aso, if the condition is especially bad and could result in a crash at any time, the failure would be identified by the Tester as “dangerous” and the vehicle should not be driven on the roads at all. The MOT is there to ensure that all vehicles over three years old are examined for MOT purposes on an annual basis. Yet the vehicle could be sub standard as a product in other ways unconnected with those MOT Testable items.
So the MOT Test is a highly formalised inspection for which MOT Testers nominated by the MOT garage owners must have appropriate training before being accepted by the Driver and Vehicle Safety Agency (DVSA) to do MOT Tests. New Testers are checked for competence by an Agency official before being allowed to conduct MOT Tests, and have to undergo annual checks on their knowledge and competence thereafter. A motor mechanic may be fully trained and skilled to do both repair work on cars and carry out a full service. But can only become an MOT Tester after having completed the appropriate training, and having their competence to do so quality checked by a government official – called, ‘A Vehicle Examiner’.
Annual servicing
To many motorists it comes as a big surprise to discover that an annual service does not necessarily mean a car will pass an MOT Test, although that may be the case in some instances – yet it is also true that there are aspects of a service unconnected with the MOT. An MOT specific emissions test, for example, is not done during a service, whereas the engine oil is changed. Yet during an MOT the engine oil level is not necessarily checked except in some circumstances as part of the emissions check. Another key difference concerns the condition of the brakes. In an MOT the vehicles brake pads could be well worn, but not enough to fail the MOT. Yet a service garage would not be carrying out a good service, if on noticing the worn brake pads they had not told the vehicle owner and recommended that the brake pads should be replaced – even though they may well be good enough to just pass an MOT inspection.
Advisory notices
This issue regarding the wear on brake pads brings us to another aspect of the MOT Scheme. While the Testers’ Manual has very specific processes and standards to ensure a component has passed its MOT inspection, sometimes, whilst currently safe, it may be worn down very close to the MOT failure criteria. In that case the Tester can add an ‘advisory notice’ to the certificate advising the owner that the component noted is OK now, but very close to failure. These advisories are of great value to a motorist purchasing a car with, “a new MOT” because it provides an insight into the more general condition of the vehicle. A car with a number of advisory notes suggests its owner has not had the vehicle regularly serviced, and if for sale, is, perhaps best left alone! Well-worn brake pads, but with enough thickness to just pass the MOT is a good case in point, which would normally be flagged up as an advisory on an MOT certificate – pass or fail. The car may well have failed on another item, but the Tester would still flag up advisory notes on other pass items – which only just met the `MOT standard’.
Road Safety
The MOT Test makes a massive contribution to Britain’s road safety which is amongst the safest in the world, but it doesn’t mean that a vehicle with a new MOT does not have other defects. The clutch may be nearly worn out – but it’s not part of the MOT. The air conditioning may not work – again, not part of the MOT, or even an item may be defective which a Tester cannot see during the MOT inspection – because with only a few exceptions, Testers are not allowed to dismantle any components of the vehicle, so he or she cannot fail something they can’t see. So the old adage still applies – ‘Buyer Beware!’ A new MOT does not mean that the vehicle is in good overall condition. It just means that on the day and time of that MOT Test the vehicle had passed a very specific inspection of specifically defined vehicle components and systems. Next week, or next month, with just a bit of extra wear its condition may well fail an MOT inspection.
A full service and MOT together
This is much better. Here not only are the MOT Testable items all inspected on a road safety basis, but a number of other service checks will be carried out, including all lubrication requirements, and if it is a reputable garage, other items which the owner should be made aware of which would be noted in the service report, which could probably be rectified at the time. Also, by and large any MOT failure items could, if the owner agrees, be repaired at the same time and a new MOT issued. A vehicle with a good recent service record, and a new MOT with no advisory items whilst still not a guarantee as such does provide reasonable evidence that a vehicle is in good condition – but, of course it is still not a general guarantee of the vehicle’s condition except with regard to those specific MOT testable items, and any other items specifically noted in the vehicle’s service schedule…
Dangerous to drive
If a vehicle has an MOT defect noted which says it renders the vehicle dangerous to drive on the road, this means that if the owner takes the vehicle onto the road in that condition, he or she is committing a serious criminal offence. Yet there is an interesting issue here. Whilst a vehicle driven on the road must have an MOT – there is an allowance under Section 47 of the Road Traffic Act of 1988 to drive a vehicle without a valid MOT certificate to and from an MOT Testing station to have the vehicle MOT Tested. However, the driver would need proof of an MOT appointment, and that the vehicle was driven directly to the MOT Testing site – without any stopping en-route for any other purpose. If the vehicle fails the MOT, it should not be used on the road until the MOT defect(s) is, (or are) remedied and a valid MOT pass certificate has been issued. Far more seriously, though, is if the MOT failure is labelled as ‘dangerous’ and the vehicle is then discovered as being used on the roads in that condition, a far more serious criminal offence has been committed with greater penalties involved.
Some interesting notes:
Testers and Testing Stations
During 2023/24 there were just over 23,000 MOT Testing Stations and almost 66,000 MOT Testers.
Total MOTs for 2023/24
In 2023/24 altogether there were just over 34 million MOT Tests carried out.
Failure rate for cars and light commercial vehicles
The average failure MOT rate during 2023/24 for cars and light commercial vehicles was just under 29% (Class 3 and 4 vehicles – the DVSA classification), and for larger vans and other commercial vehicles (but not heavy goods vehicles) – ie DVSA Class 7 vehicles, it was just under 36%.
Dangerous defects for cars and light commercial vehicles
Of all tests in 2023/24, approximately 2.72 million MOT tests on cars, vans, minibuses, motorcycles, and mopeds resulted in a failure due to at least one dangerous defect. In each case the vehicle was probably being used on the road when presented for an MOT inspection.
Dangerous defects on larger vans and pickup type vehicles
Of which Class 7 vehicles (larger vans and pick-up trucks etc. just under a million were MOT Tested. It is of some concern that as a percentage a relatively higher proportion of these mainly high use commercial vehicles carried dangerous defects when MOT tested at 36%. That means that altogether throughout the year 360,000 of these vehicle were probably in use on the road carrying those dangerous defects when presented for MOT Test.
