Query re MOT Expiry Date and Early Fail

glentoran99

consumers_revenge wrote: »

No they wouldn't because you would be taking it to and back from a prearranged MOT


I always used to think the previous MOT covered it but it doesn't. Check the GOV website.


Say my tyres are now bold but were not 11 months ago. MOT centre fails both tyres, its unroadworthy and hence illegal.


Driving a vehicle that’s failed

You can take your vehicle away if your MOT certificate is still valid.
If your MOT has run out you can take your vehicle to:

• have the failed defects fixed
• a pre-arranged MOT test appointment

In both cases, your vehicle still needs to meet the minimum standards of roadworthiness at all times or you can be fined.

Its illegal whether you fail an MOT or not, and did you read your own post? It says you can drive your vehicle, the bit you refer to is if your MOT has run out

AndyMc.....

facade wrote: »

As above, the old MOT remains perfectly valid.

However, if there is any joined up thinking at the sharp end of government, the "fail" reasons just might be communicated to other agencies, so if you were to be unfortunate enough to pass one of the 2 Police cars operating outside of London, they might possibly know and stop you for a check.

So, as also noted above, if the fail is on something dangerous that makes it unroadworthy, you would be in trouble driving it if it hadn't been fixed. The offence would be one of driving an unroadworthy vehicle, rather than having no valid MOT.

(Presumably if it were on something like no washer fluid, a bald tyre, or a bulb out you would have sorted it and got it re-tested)

Are you sure?

Quentin

consumers_revenge wrote: »

No they wouldn't because you would be taking it to and back from a prearranged MOT


I always used to think the previous MOT covered it but it doesn't. Check the GOV website.


Say my tyres are now bold but were not 11 months ago. MOT centre fails both tyres, its unroadworthy and hence illegal.....

You misunderstand.

The poor advice that was corrected included wrongly telling us a fail voids your insurance. Had that been correct you could not drive away from the test.

AdrianC

consumers_revenge wrote: »

Say my tyres are now bold but were not 11 months ago. MOT centre fails both tyres, its unroadworthy and hence illegal.

Which is nothing to do with the MOT fail...

It would have been illegal to drive the car to the MOT, too, with bald tyres.

But if you replaced the tyres, it would be legal to drive - even though it'd failed an MOT.
If the fail invalidated the remaining MOT, it would not be legal to drive.

facade

facade wrote: »

As above, the old MOT remains perfectly valid.

Snip.....

facade wrote: »

if the fail is on something dangerous that makes it unroadworthy, you would be in trouble driving it if it hadn't been fixed. The offence would be one of driving an unroadworthy vehicle, rather than having no valid MOT.

AndyMc..... wrote: »

Are you sure?

Yes, unless you are suggesting that there is no specific offence of "driving an roadworthy vehicle" . (The prosecution would actually be for an offence under the RTA.)

The original MOT remains valid, so you can't be charged with not having a current one.

khcomp

So in short, your MOT is valid until it's expiry date - a more recent fail doesn't invalidate it, but may tell you that the car is unroadworthy, dangerous, illegal to drive or possibly all three,
Why don't you just book the car in for MOT at the end of the month?

Quentin

khcomp wrote: »

Why don't you just book the car in for MOT at the end of the month?

The OP was wrongly under the impression that a failed MOT now would mean he could no longer drive his car as his insurance would be void.


Now that has been cleared up he knows he can take this car in at any time - though should consider waiting till 4th July so that should his car pass it will mean the new MOT would be valid till August 3rd 2018

AdrianC

Quentin wrote: »

The OP was wrongly under the impression that a failed MOT now would mean he could no longer drive his car as his insurance would be void.


Now that has been cleared up he knows he can take this car in at any time - though should consider waiting till 4th July so that should his car pass it will mean the new MOT would be valid till August 3rd 2018

4th is Tuesday. I strongly suspect that's why he's thinking about it today.

System

khcomp wrote: »

So in short, your MOT is valid until it's expiry date - a more recent fail doesn't invalidate it, but may tell you that the car is unroadworthy, dangerous, illegal to drive or possibly all three,

Not may, it DOES tell you it is one or more of those. The MOT test is a test that a vehicle meets the minimum legal requirements for safety and emissions. If it fails your vehicle has failed to meet the minimum legal standards for roadworthiness or emissions for a vehicle used on UK roads. After a MOT fail any grounds you'd have for not being reasonably expected to know there was a fault, i.e something like a worn suspension bush, are all gone out of the window because you have a fail sheet stating that so the "I'm not a mechanic I couldn't realistically be expected to know" defence no longer stands. Sure the valid MOT means you can't be done for not having one but you could be prosecuted under various Construction and Use regs until you've rectified the fault.

AdrianC

Tarambor wrote: »

Not may, it DOES tell you it is one or more of those. The MOT test is a test that a vehicle meets the minimum legal requirements for safety and emissions. If it fails your vehicle has failed to meet the minimum legal standards for roadworthiness or emissions for a vehicle used on UK roads.

Umm, not necessarily.

There are plenty of fails that would not make your car unroadworthy, and a good few things that aren't tested but would leave it unroadworthy.