Every year, around 1 in 3 UK cars fails its MOT on the first attempt. The frustrating truth is that many of those failures come down to things the driver could have checked and fixed in an afternoon — bulbs, tyres, windscreen washers — without ever visiting a garage.
Here is a practical checklist based on the most common failure reasons in the DVSA's own data.
The Big Three: Tyres, Lights and Wipers
These three categories account for a disproportionate share of MOT failures and advisories every year.
Tyres
- Tread depth must be at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. Buy a tread depth gauge (under £5) and check all four.
- Look for cracks, bulges or cuts in the sidewall — any visible damage is a fail.
- Check tyre pressure while you are at it. Under-inflated tyres wear unevenly and are flagged as advisories.
Lights
Walk around your car with a friend or use a reflective surface. Check:
- Headlights (dipped and full beam)
- Brake lights (press the pedal)
- Rear and front indicators
- Hazard lights
- Number plate light
- Fog lights
Bulbs cost a few pounds. Replacing one takes minutes. Failing an MOT for a blown bulb is entirely avoidable.
Windscreen Wipers and Washers
- Blades should clear the screen in a single pass without streaking or smearing.
- The washer jets must produce a spray that reaches the screen. If your reservoir is empty, fill it.
- Check for any chips or cracks in the windscreen. Anything in the driver's line of sight larger than 10mm — or anywhere larger than 40mm — is a fail.
Brakes
You don't need to jack the car up. A few simple checks help:
- Press the brake pedal firmly. It should feel solid, not spongy or sinking to the floor.
- Listen for grinding or squealing when braking at low speed — these are signs the pads are worn.
- Apply the handbrake on a slight hill and make sure it holds.
Under the Bonnet
- Engine warning light — if it is on, find out why before your test. An illuminated warning light is an automatic fail.
- Fluid levels — check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and power steering fluid.
- Horn — give it a test. It is on the checklist.
Exhaust
Start the engine and check the exhaust. Excessive smoke — especially blue or black — will fail emissions tests. A rattling or blowing exhaust also needs attention.
Check Your Specific Car's Risk Areas
The checks above cover the universal items. But every make, model and generation has its own weak points based on thousands of previous tests.
You can look up your registration on Hope It Passes to see which components most commonly fail on your specific car, ranked by how frequently they come up in real DVSA records.
Data sourced from the DVSA's published MOT testing statistics. Individual results will vary.