MOT history – What can a thorough MOT history tell about your car

March 24, 2022 by Zoe Hicks – 10 mins read

Cars over 3 years old pass a monthly MOT test to show they are roadworthy by law. We are here to explain MOT history and what a thorough MOT history tells us about your car.

You must do an MOT check every year but the MOT history test is incredibly useful. Doing an MOT history check keeps both you and your car safe. The periodic MOT test is one of the most important factors to make sure your vehicle is safe to drive. An MOT check contributes to your overall security and is a must by law. When you are buying a used car an MOT history check record is a very important piece of information. Checking whether the vehicle has constantly passed its MOT history checks will help you make the right decision. Some buyers trust a test drive and MOT checks alone. Trusting MOT history check alone may be a mistake but an MOT history can tell you quite a lot about the quality of the car and everything you need to know. The topmost thing about the government’s MOT history website is that it allows you to view every single test and the reasons why a car didn’t pass. Simply visit the website of the MOT check service and enter the registration number of the car which you need to buy.

The MOT History Check

You have to provide the registration number for the MOT history search. As mentioned above an MOT history check record consists of the following:

  • An overview of all former MOTs since the car was registered.
  • Did the car pass or fail the MOT check?
  • Who performed the examination?
  • The reason for failure and whether the effort to repair the issue was successful.
  • The mileage at the point of the MOT examination.
  • The projected date for the coming examination.

The mechanic will also make a note of smaller defects, although it does not need a repair.

That’s a lot of useful data you are getting from the MOT history check. Run our Motorscan MOT history check and avail the benefit of MOT records which are 100 percent reliable. One of the greatest benefits of the MOT history check is that it is one of the few effective tools against the clock. According to the research data in 2017, one in sixteen cars was clocked. We should be aware that we are facing a clocking crisis nationally that shows no signs of getting out of this crisis soon. With old, analog models, any tampering would usually leave visible marks. By thoroughly inspecting the dashboard, you would often be able to detect clocking even without expert experience. With a cheap hardware device, you can change the reading of a digital odometer. Garages legally use these to adjust the car from kilometres to miles.

The MOT history check can provide vitally helpful information here. With each MOT inspection, the mechanic registers the mileage. In this way, you can verify the current mileage of a car precisely.

What can a thorough MOT history tell about your car?

An MOT test does not take so long. The test takes around 45m to an hour, and some possessors choose to stay while the vehicle is being inspected. If repairs are needed following the test the process will take longer. During the test, the ensuing areas are inspected.

  • Electrical equipment- Inspects the headlights, fog, and brake lights and also the indicators.
  • Steering- Checks the condition and strength of the steering wheel.
  • Tyres- tell about the tread depth and condition of the tyres.
  • Suspense- shock absorbers and any erosion and wear.
  • Thickets- including the overall condition of pedals and brake effectiveness.
  • Seat belts and seats
  • Exhaust and emigrations- including checking for any leaks in the exhaust and energy system
  • Glasses, wipers, and windscreen- including any damage to the windscreen and condition of the wiper blades
  • Vehicle Identification Number is important

What’s covered in the MOT history test?

VIN and registration plate – The tester will check that your vehicle identification number and registration plate are where they should be. They will also check that everything is genuine and correct.

 Lights – Checks whether the lights are performing and are bright enough. Checks whether the headlights are pointing in the right direction. All these will be checked for an MOT check.

 Steering and suspension – In every test, this is one of the main checks done. The MOT mechanics verify if the steering and suspension are working correctly and are fit for driving.

 Safety- During each MOT test, a few aspects of traffic safety are checked. These cover windscreen wipers, safety belts, seats, and horns.

Emission levels– The car must be up to current emigration norms. One reason is, obviously, the environment. The other is to make certain you are paying the right amount of taxes.

 Vehicle structure and stability- The MOT verifies aspects of a vehicle’s structural integrity. This ranges from the bodywork and the doors to the tires and brakes.

A Mot history check is more comprehensive.

Are there any MOT exemptions?

Cars that are 40 years old or more have exemptions; the vehicle has had substantial changes.

Motorscan MOT history check

If you own a car it is your responsibility to ensure that the MOT on your car is valid and up to date. If you don’t have an MOT certificate your insurance can be invalidated. Not having a valid MOT certificate is illegal (Section 47 of Road Traffic Act) and you could face a £1,000 fine and receive 6 to 8 points on your licence by driving without a valid MOT. At the time of the MOT test, every car must meet the minimum legal requirements. To ensure safety the MOT test will check all the important components and items on your car. You must understand what the MOT certificate means. The MOT certificate does not guarantee the overall mechanical condition of a vehicle. An MOT certificate gives an assurance that at the time of the test the minimum acceptable environmental and road safety standard required by law was met by your car without the need for dismantling your vehicle. The MOT certificate cannot be considered as a substitute for regular maintenance. The condition of the engine, clutch, or gearbox is not covered during the test.

Our MOT history check covers

  • If the car passed or failed
  • Mileage recorded when it was tested
  • Which parts failed for the test and did any parts show minor issues
  • When your vehicle’s next MOT is due
  • Mileage status
  • Vehicle specification
  • Running costs

Advisory Notices

Before it was not complicated you either had to fix a fault or you did not have to take any action at all. This was a simple concept to grasp. But it also meant that in most cases, minor defects were never actually fixed, because no one is compelling you to do so. Today, there are four categories. Each fault falls into one of them and will require a different set of actions.

  • Advisory notices are not forcing you to do anything, you must be aware of it. The mechanic advises you to deal with certain issues, which could become a problem shortly. Notices for worn tyres, worn brake pads, or corrosion.
  • Minor faults can be more serious, but won’t be a reason to fail your MOT. If your steering fluid level is below the minimum mark, this would for example result in a minor fault notice. It won’t be causing a curb for the car from functioning properly. If you don’t try to fix those issues sometimes it could turn into more serious issues soon.
  • Major faults are indeed more serious like the steering fluid level may be empty or nearly empty; this presents real or potential trouble to traffic safety. Consequently, you now need to take action. That said, you can fix numerous major faults effortlessly. Filling up the steering fluid is a simple job likewise a broken windshield wiper is a major fault.
  • Dangerous faults pose real, immediate trouble to fellow passengers. You need to deal with them straight down. A car with dangerous faults isn’t fit for driving and you can’t take your car back home with you unless you fix the issue.

Your car may pass its MOT but with a minor fault. These indicate issues with the vehicle that have not been supposed to be serious enough for it to fail but will need addressing shortly. 

Think of them as warnings. Although your car has been passed fit to drive, minor faults should not be ignored. Typical issues might be tyres that are getting close to having minimal tread depth and will need replacing soon, or brake pads showing signs of being worn. Still, there is a good chance your car may fail a forthcoming MOT test if minor faults are ignored. It may also affect the resale value as any buyer will be responsible for the need to make repairs.

Will the MOT history check influence the buy decision?

The MOT history should be one part of estimating whether the car you are going to buy is suitable for you. Can you trust the MOT history records completely? The MOT history provides proof that the odometer has been tampered with, so don’t fix the deal. But in situations where there have been numerous serious issues with the car you should not buy such a vehicle. The MOT isn’t comprehensive in any way and not a true value statement about the car; still you can know how well the former keeper has treated the vehicle. At the same time, a long list of minor faults need not be an issue. Occasionally, a single visit to your garage can take care of them and get you a great deal. In the end, only a mechanic will tell you more about the car after inspection.

Reasons for failing MOT

An MOT check will, first of all, reveal how frequently a particular car has passed or failed the examination. This information tells you quite a bit about how well the vehicle has been maintained. Frequent fails need not be a major issue as long as the car is in a good condition. Some of the most typical reasons for not passing your MOT include a failure to clean up waste near the pedals, or defective windscreen wipers. Neither of these is entirely inapplicable. But none of them can be considered as a reason not to buy a car. But if a former owner can simply not feel to get it right at the first or second try, it does make you wonder. Indeed more so, if the reasons for not passing are more serious.

Summary

An MOT check is a periodic test for your car. It’s valid for twelve months and can be renewed up to a month before it expires. It substantially serves to check two important areas: whether your engine is safe and whether it meets environmental norms. An MOT generally takes between an hour to forty-five minutes. You will frequently have to have the car checked while you want to keep your car legal on roads. Still, if the mechanic detects serious issues, then the car has to be repaired. Depending on the depth of those issues, you may need to find another car. Now you understand how The MOT history check is great. But it can no way tell you everything you need to know. MOT history checks are incredibly beneficial. Since an MOT history check can warn you of minor or major dangers for your safety. As a buyer, the free MOT history check gives an insight into possible sins and issues the vehicle may have. An MOT record gives essential information for buyers. If you are looking to buy a second-hand car MOT history check can indicate how frequently the car has failed an MOT in history, what the reasons for failing were and how committed the former keeper was to fix it again. It can therefore contribute to your decision whether or not to buy the vehicle. Thus an MOT history check can discover quite a lot. You must collect all the necessary data through an MOT check without fail before buying a car.

Read more...

Checking how many owners a vehicle has had
Checking how many owners a vehicle has had
When it comes to buying a second-hand car, it's important to check the history of the vehicle to make sure there are no red flags.
How to pass your car's next MOT
How to pass your car's next MOT
We all want to make sure our vehicle passes MOT the first time round.
Types of available car finance
Types of available car finance
Car finance is a process that allows you to spread the cost of a new or used car. We breakdown the common ways to finance your next car.