The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has introduced a new set of rules for MOT testing as it looks to make vehicles safer and cleaner.
Affecting the tests for cars, vans, motorcycles and light passenger vehicles in England, Scotland and Wales, it sees five major areas of the process changed, including restrictions on diesel cars and three new categories for defects: dangerous, major and minor.
If the tester finds an item with a ‘minor’ problem the vehicle will still pass but the fault should be repaired as soon as possible. If a major or dangerous fault is found, though, the car automatically fails the MOT test. If the fault falls in the ‘dangerous’ category, the vehicle mustn’t be driven until repaired, while a ‘major’ fault must be repaired immediately. The ‘pass’ and ‘advisory’ categories are still in use.
To help with reducing the effect of diesel emissions, cars will now be given a ‘major’ fault if the tester sees any smoke coming from the exhaust or finds that the diesel particulate filter has been tampered with. The filter captures exhaust soot to prevent the car from emitting too many harmful gases.
The DVSA has also added major items to the MOT checklist, such as obviously underinflated tyres, contaminated brake fluid, brake pad warning lights and missing brake pads or discs, as well as headlight washers on vehicles first used from September 2009. Meanwhile, daytime running lights on vehicles first used from March 2018 will be checked at their first MOT test in 2021.
However, if you own a vehicle that has been registered for 40 years or more, there is now no need to take it in for an MOT. This replaces the rule saying that any vehicle built before 1960 was exempt from requiring an MOT.
If a vehicle is liable for an MOT but hasn’t been tested, the owner could be fined up to £1,000.
