What should I do is think my MOT was unsafe?

Arghbloodyhouse

AdrianC said:

Flight3287462 said:

OP it is time you learnt some basic maintenance checks so that you know how roadworthy your car is.

Basic maintenance like knowing how to check tyres, fluids, lights, change wheels, has been part of the driving test for nearly 20 years.

I passed my test last year. Checking tread, pressure, lights, fluids and brakes was on the test but changing wheels is no longer on there. 

I should have checked my tyres, it was lazy of me to just assume it was part of the service

Arghbloodyhouse

AdrianC said:

An MOT and a service are two very different things.

Yes, an MOT is a legally required check on the state of repair of certain areas of the car. It's a bare-bones, basic minimum for a car to be legally used, and no more.

A service is actual maintenance... There's no legal requirement for it, but it's basic common sense prevention of future problems. Work is done to the car. At the very minimum, it's changing oil and filter and (hopefully!) actually removing wheels to look at brakes properly. But, ideally, there's a lot else besides.

So did they just MOT the car, or did they service it, too?

And how often do you do your own basic checks - tyres, fluids, lights...?

They did a full service as well as MOT. I should be checking my tyres etc but honestly haven't felt confident in my knowledge so I've just been asking when I go to the garage if everything's alright. It's been a few times over the year that I've been driving that I've gone to the garage when I'm worried about something. Obviously I need to just do it myself, I'm sure it's easy enough. The thing is in your test you have to verbally say what you'd do (so I know that bit) but no one shows you practically how it's done. This wouldn't be a problem for most people, I'm just a worrier, but obviously I need to start doing it. How often should I do it?

AdrianC

OK, so if they serviced the car as well as tested it, that cancels out a few of the earlier comments. They would (should!) have removed wheels, for instance. It's always advised to check wheel nuts are still tight about 50 miles after a service or a tyre change.

Checking tyres is dead easy.
Get down on your hands and knees, and LOOK at them! (Turn the front wheels to full lock to make them easier.)
Is there at least 2mm of tread left, all the way across?
Are there any lumps and bumps or tears in the sidewalls?
Check the pressure - the supermarket's tyre machine will give you instructions. The correct pressures will likely be on a sticker or label, probably in one of the front door shuts.

jimjames

There are some winter checks here that show you how to check the tyre depth with a 20p coin

https://youtu.be/4Qm3UJrvyfg

and some general checks here for things before a road trip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXY5zNMfzXM

born_again

Arghbloodyhouse said:

 I honestly think I'm attracting a lot of flak for a misunderstanding so common that all of my family and friends thought the same thing - that the MOT was a check of the state of repair of your car and that it was thus suspect if so many things broke days after the MOT.

To be fair you mentioned " they just changed a few bulbs" in your Op. Do you not check basic things like bulbs etc before taking car for a MOT. They should be routine checks on a regular basis.. 

https://www.gov.uk/check-vehicle-safe


A MOT is nothing more than a spot check on certain items at that given point. Other than advisory's (which your tyres should have had if nearly worn out) Garage usually tell you about these as it's work for them. Other than that, it's either a pass or fail, with various degrees of severalty

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/car-parts-checked-at-an-mot


You could get just down the road and get stopped by the police & have car impounded for not meeting construction & use regulations.

Have a look at your car's MOT history.

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history


I would no more trust a young lad on the desk, saying you can get it cheaper down the road, then the guy saying you need this doing in a fast fit place. That is probably part of their training to get people to think they are honest 🤦‍♀️
Find a good local garage and stick to them.

molerat

AdrianC said:

They would (should!) have removed wheels, for instance. It's always advised to check wheel nuts are still tight about 50 miles after a service or a tyre change.

Why would they remove the wheels ? Wheels do not come off at every service.

Although on a 16 YO shed I probably would

Jumblebumble

GrumpyDil said:

Adrian has a point as I was quite surprised to discover this year that they can look at your shocks and admire how shock like they look but not actually check them in any meaningful way.

So yes it's possible to pass an MOT with some quite poor mechanicals. 

Indeed

Back in the day I had a good many 2CVs
They used to fail the MOTs typically on excessive play in the kingpins
The front wheels  could be flopping everywhere but if one pumped them full of grease they would tighten up enough to pass the MOT without issue
I knew and the testers knew that they would be flopping again and a definite MOT failure  after having been driven for 1/4 mile down the road but the tester was obliged to pass them.

Ibrahim5

Do you not check your exhaust? Just jack up one side of the car and put some axle stands underneath. Then with a torch inspect the whole length of the exhaust for corrosion and check the rubber mountings for any signs of the rubber perishing.
I really can't believe this thread. The car was taken for a service and MOT. Somehow it was left with a dangerous exhaust, bald tyres, loose wheels, dodgy suspension and brakes. Somehow it's the OPs fault for not checking everything for himself.

born_again

Ibrahim5 said:

Do you not check your exhaust? Just jack up one side of the car and put some axle stands underneath. Then with a torch inspect the whole length of the exhaust for corrosion and check the rubber mountings for any signs of the rubber perishing.
I really can't believe this thread. The car was taken for a service and MOT. Somehow it was left with a dangerous exhaust, bald tyres, loose wheels, dodgy suspension and brakes. Somehow it's the OPs fault for not checking everything for himself.

OP only mentions MOT as had only bought it less than a year ago & only done 3K. 

GrumpyDil

born_again said:

Ibrahim5 said:

Do you not check your exhaust? Just jack up one side of the car and put some axle stands underneath. Then with a torch inspect the whole length of the exhaust for corrosion and check the rubber mountings for any signs of the rubber perishing.
I really can't believe this thread. The car was taken for a service and MOT. Somehow it was left with a dangerous exhaust, bald tyres, loose wheels, dodgy suspension and brakes. Somehow it's the OPs fault for not checking everything for himself.

OP only mentions MOT as had only bought it less than a year ago & only done 3K. 

Not quite. Op added afterwards

"They did a full service as well as MOT"