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Give A Car Homepage

Donate your car

  • About
    • Contact us
    • Our story
    • Our Fees
    • Reviews
    • Media coverage
    • Awards
  • What We Do
    • Cars
    • Motorbikes
    • Vans
    • Caravans
    • Nationwide Collection
  • FAQs
  • Charities
    • Find a charity
    • Register your charity
    • Charity Resources
    • Charity Testimonials
  • Blog

MOT Failures: What to Do?

MOT failures represent one of the largest sources of donated cars at Giveacar. Often, when an older car has failed its MOT test it isn’t viable to go about spending on repairs to return it to the road.  It can work out cheaper to scrap the car and replace it with a model in better condition. This is where Giveacar can help. If it is no longer economically viable for you to continue investing money into your old car, donate it with Giveacar to raise money for your favourite charity. We can arrange collection of your vehicle nationwide and for free.

Common MOT Failures

We’ve listed below some of the common MOT fails so you can make sure to look out for these and help pass your MOT check. The DVSA (driver and vehicle standards) have put together some data revealing these most common failures, and most are more simple than you may realise.

Check Your Lights

18.9% of all faults are related to lighting and signalling. Checking your lightbulbs is easy to do. You just need to give them a light tap to see if they are loose or damaged. You can also check the colours are right and match. Replacement bulbs are fairly cheap and you can change them yourself if you have your car handbook. If not, many garages will change your bulb for free. DVSA has published a series of short videos on YouTube about simple car maintenance – including one on how to carry out checks on brake lights and indicators.

Check The Suspension

13% of failures are suspension related. The best way to do this is to park your car and then take a few seconds to observe it. Is the car sitting level? You can also walk around the car and push down on each corner, seeing if it returns back to its normal level without bouncing. Suspension problems can be fairly well hidden but pay attention to any unusual noises your car makes, especially when cornering.

Check Your Brakes

10% of vehicles that fail their mot are due to brake issues. You can test your brakes every day as you set off. Listen out for any strange noises, like squealing or grinding. Or, if your car pulls to one side when braking.

You can also check your brake fluid levels. Look for the high/low markings on the reservoir and make sure that your brake fluid is topped up. Many cars also fail because of issues with their handbrake. Stop your car on a hill and apply the handbrake to see if it holds the car, if not it may need adjustment.

Check The Tyres

Tyre condition and pressure – 7.7% of all faults related to tyres. You should check your tyres regularly, not just when it comes to an MOT test. To do so, you can use a tread depth gauge to check your tyre tread. The minimum tread for a car is 1.6mm.

You can also check that the tyres:

  • pressures are correct
  • are all the same size
  • have no cuts, bulges or other signs of damage

Issues Affecting The Driver’s View Of The Road

7.2% of MOT fails are due to issues with the driver’s view of the road.

You can avoid this by carrying out simple checks like:

  • the windscreen wipers and washers work
  • your view of the road is clear of any stickers, toys or air fresheners

Windscreen wiper blades should be replaced if they show signs of damage or if they are more than a year old. You should also make sure that you regularly top up your washer fluids. You should get your windscreen replaced if you have any large chips that affect your view, as these will result in an MOT fail. Also, your rear-view mirrors must be adjustable and in good condition.

Staying Safe And Saving Money

You shouldn’t wait for your MOT check to see if your car needs maintenance. All drivers have a responsibility to make sure their vehicle is properly maintained and safe to drive at all times.

Carrying out simple checks on items like lights and tyres will help motorists to stay safe and legal, as well as saving time and money when their vehicle is due for its MOT.

My car Is An MOT Failure. What To Do?

MOT failures can be a scary prospect for anyone! Whether your car has been teetering on the edge for a little while or its a newer model with some mechanical issues, a failed MOT can be the beginning of a rather expensive journey.

If you car’s MOT is due and you know it’s about to fail, why not consider donating the vehicle to your favourite charity? Giveacar are the car donation experts. We will ensure your car’s value can be maximised for your nominated charity no matter if it fails its MOT.

We’ll arrange the collection and donation of your car from start to finish. With every car that is donated, we will ask you a series of questions which helps us decided if we can scrap or auction the car. We’ll pass on your vehicle and collection details onto our collection partners who will then contact you to arrange the collection.

Rather than spend a fortune fixing your car, donate it to charity today. Call us on 020 7736 4242 or fill out our donation form.

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How To Donate?

  • Scrap Yards
  • Auction & Salvage Cars
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  • Used Car Disposal: How to Dispose of Your Used Car
  • DVLA Bereavement
  • Scrap a foreign car
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  • Notify DVLA Car Scrapped
  • MOT Failures: What to Do?
  • Diplomatic Cars
  • ULEZ
The least painful way to say goodbye to a car!

An efficient, well explained process. Collector was very likeable, which made it easier to part with a car which had been part of the family for eleven years. Thank you Giveacar!
It's always great to support Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
Margaret H

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