DIY mot/nct pre checks - bodywork

[james]

MOT Test of Registration plates and Vehicle Identification Number* (VIN)

* Required on all vehicles first used on or after 1st August 1980.

NOTE: Revised Registration Plate Testing and Tow Bar Testing (see below) were effective from April 09.

see current Number Plate Regs graphic.

For registered vehicles the registration plate must be:

present

secure

not faded, dirty or obscured

Letters and digits must conform to the approved font design with correct spacing

Front plates must be black digits on white background, rear must be black on yellow

Honeycomb background is not allowed.

Vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1973 may have registration plates displaying white, grey or silver characters on a black background. A three-wheeled vehicle, which has a motorcycle derived front end, does not require a front number plate.

MOT Registration Plate Specifications

Relevant Dimension

Tricycles & quadricycles

All other vehicles

Character height

64mm

79mm

Character width (except for the figure 1 or letter I)

44mm

50mm

Stroke width

10mm

14mm

Space between two characters in group

10mm

11mm

Vertical space between groups of characters

13mm

19mm

Horizontal space between groups of characters

30mm

33mm

Margins(minimum)

11mm

11mm

The VIN number* must be:

permanently displayed

consistent

legible.

*Required on all vehicles first used on or after 1st August 1980.

MOT Test of Bonnet Catch

Reasons for Failure

A bonnet that cannot be safely secured in the closed position

An excessively deteriorated, ineffective or insecure (bonnet) retaining device

MOT Test of Doors

Test Description

Both front doors must be openable from the inside and outside and all doors must latch securely.

Tailgates, bootlids etc.

All these items, including the tailboards and dropsides of trucks must be securable in the closed position.

MOT Test of Vehicle Structure

Body condition and security

for vehicles with a separate body, the body must not be so insecure or displaced so that it might lead to loss of control of the vehicle when driven, or be a danger to other road users

there must be no dangerous sharp edges or projections caused by corrosion or damage which is dangerous to other road users including pedestrians.

Corrosion

A vehicle can fail with respect to corrosion for:

excessive corrosion in a 'prescribed area' — within 30 cms of certain safety related components, e.g. brakes, steering, suspension, seat belt mountings etc.

Excessive corrosion not in a 'prescribed area', but which is likely to adversely affect the vehicle's braking or steering. 'Excessive corrosion' can mean a hole or a significantly weakened structure.

MOT Test of Mirrors

Not all mirrors on all vehicles are subject to Test, depending on the age of the vehicle. Those mirrors which must be checked must be

secure

visible from the driver's seat

not distorted or damaged so as to seriously impair the driver's view to the rear.

Obligatory mirror options are:

a. an exterior mirror fitted to the offside (right-hand side when seated in the driver’s seat), or

b. an exterior mirror fitted to the nearside (left hand side when seated in the driver’s seat), or

c. an interior mirror.

All goods vehicles must have two mirrors, one of which must be option ‘a’.

Passenger vehicles with no more than 7 passenger seats first used before 1 August 1978 must have any one of the above options.

Reasons For Rejection

An obligatory mirror:

a. is missing or insecure

b. is so damaged or deteriorated that the view to the rear is seriously impaired

c. does not provide a view to the rear of the vehicle

d. is not clearly visible from the driver’s seat, or incapable of being adjusted to be clearly visible from the driver’s seat.

Additional mirrors

Any mirrors additional to the obligatory mirrors are not subject to this inspection.

MOT Test of Tow Bar (Towing Hook)

Reason for Rejection:

A towbar component insecure, fractured or excessively:

worn

corroded, or

damaged.

Towbar assembly is attached to the vehicle structure using a mounting, support or fixing which is obviously of an inappropriate size or type.

retaining device missing or insecure

locking device missing, insecure, inadequate or damaged to the extent that its operation is impaired.

excessive play between a detachable tow ball and its receiver socket

a quick release mechanism that does not secure the tow ball arm as intended.

MOT Test of Windscreen

Includes all items affecting the driver's view of the road: the condition of the windscreen, the wipers and washers. Satnavs in the windscreen, furry dice, air fresheners or trinkets hanging from the mirror are not allowed.

Chips or cracks in the windscreen directly in front of the driver, in the area swept by the wiper blades (zone A), are acceptable if they are less than 10mm in diameter. In the rest of the swept area, up to 40mm diameter damage is acceptable.

Recent change in policy (Oct 2011) "…it is permissible to have a defect larger than 10mm in the swept area of zone A, as long as it is not in the ‘drivers view of the road’. Should now be "Pass and advise".

Official stickers (any used in connection with road enforcement, security or crime prevention matters) that are not readily removable are only a reason for rejection if they restrict the driver's view.

Washers and wipers

operation

extent of area swept by the wipers

condition of the wiper blades.

Reasons for Rejection

Wipers and Washers

a. A wiper or washer control missing or inaccessible to the driver

b. a wiper does not continue to operate automatically when switched on

c. a wiper installed for the use of the driver does not operate over an area of the windscreen large enough to give the driver an adequate view of the road (through the windscreen) to the left and right sides of the vehicle, as well as to the front.

A wiper blade insecure, missing, or in such a condition that it does not clear the windscreen effectively to give the driver an adequate view of the road (through the windscreen) to the left and right sides of the vehicle, as well as to the front.

The windscreen washers do not provide enough liquid to clear the windscreen in conjunction with the wiper(s).