When you’re getting your vehicle’s MOT renewed, it’s not always clear what is being checked throughout this inspection. By having a more in depth understanding, you will know what areas to focus on before sending your vehicle in for an MOT, resulting in a higher success rate passing your MOT with your own regular inspections.
In this blog, we will cover the basics of wheel alignment and MOT and answer your questions on this topic in detail.
What is Wheel Alignment?
Wheel alignment is the adjustment of a vehicle’s suspension system, which is the system that connects the vehicle to the wheels.
Correct wheel alignment ensures that the tyres are positioned properly to the car’s frame and to each other. This alignment helps in maximising tyre life and ensuring that the vehicle drives straight without pulling to one side.
Proper wheel alignment has several benefits, such as:
- Improved Tyre Life: Correct alignment ensures even tyre wear, which prolongs tyre life.
- Better Fuel Efficiency: Misalignment causes the vehicle to drag, reducing fuel efficiency.
- Improved Handling: Proper alignment ensures the vehicle drives straight and handles predictably.
- Safety: Proper alignment improves the overall safety of the vehicle by ensuring predictable handling and reducing wear on suspension components
What is Checked in an MOT?
An MOT test is an annual check to ensure your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards. Every MOT test includes a list of standard tests and checks that are performed on every vehicle, no matter the size or make.
Below are the main components tested within a MOT test.
Lamps and Reflectors
Your vehicle lights and reflectors are tested to ensure safety during driving in the dark. All of your vehicle’s lights including the front, rear, brake, fog, indicator and registration plate lights as well as your rear reflectors must adhere to the following:
- Be correctly positioned
- Not be obscured
- Be in good condition and operate correctly
- Not be modified to show an incorrect colour
- Turn on with a single switch
Electrical Equipment
If any of your electrical equipment such as your horn or tow-bars is found to be working incorrectly, this can negatively impact your MOT test.
To pass, your vehicle must do the following:
- horn must emit a continuous sound and must be loud enough to be heard by other drivers and pedestrians.
- battery must be secure and not show any signs of leaking electrolytes.
- wiring should be secure and must not be damaged which could lead to a short circuit or become detached.
Steering and Suspension
Your steering wheel must be secure and work correctly. If your steering has a locking device, it should only lock when the engine isn’t running.
Suspension components and shock absorbers will be thoroughly checked for corrosion, distortion and fractures.
Brakes
Your brakes will be thoroughly checked to ensure they work correctly for day to day use of the vehicle and in an emergency stop. This includes the pedal brake and the hand brake.
Tyres
The tyres themselves must meet a certain criteria depending on your vehicle specifications. Your tyre’s speed and load rating will depend on your vehicle model and make, and the tread depth needs to be at least 1.6mm.
Seat Belts
All your seat belts (including the attachment and adjustment fittings) need to be the correct length and in good condition. They need to not be damaged and the safety mechanism needs to be functional.
Body and Structure
A general inspection of the full car body and doors will be checked, making sure all components are free from corrosion, as well as no sharp edges that might cause injury or additional damage during an accident.
Your registration numbers must also be secured and legible if stood 20 metres away from the car. They must be fitted to the front and rear of the vehicle, and all characters must be correctly formed and spaced. A speedometer must also be fitted without being tampered with – it is fine for the screen to be cracked, as long as the dial underneath can still be read.
Exhaust and Fuel
Your exhaust system should be free of leaks and cracks. If your vehicle was originally fitted with a catalytic converter, it must still be present and not tampered with. For environmental factors, your vehicle’s carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions must fall within the legal limit. The legal limit is as follows:
- CO up to 0.2% at fast idle (2,500rpm to 3,000rpm)
- HC up to 200 ppm at fast idle (2,500rpm to 3,000rpm)
- Lambda between 0.97 and 1.03 at fast idle (2,500rpm to 3,000rpm)
Mirror and Windscreens
Rear view mirrors and wing mirrors must be secured and provide adequate views to the rear and side of the vehicle. This includes no damage to the mirror for a clear view. The windscreen directly in front of the driver must not have any damage or obstruction larger than 10mm. The rest of the windscreen must not have any damage or other obstruction larger than 40mm.
Does MOT Check Wheel Alignment?
No, the MOT does not include wheel alignment in its testing criteria. Unless the tyres are found to be dangerously low or illegal, the tester lacks the proper tools to accurately check alignment. However, it is still essential to ensure your tyres are road-worthy, as the MOT will inspect tread depth and overall condition.
Wheel Alignment at Pro-Align
Even though wheel alignment isn’t part of an MOT check, it’s still crucial for maintaining your vehicle’s optimal performance. It’s generally recommended to have your wheels aligned every 10,000 miles or once a year (whichever comes first).
At Pro Align, we provide garages, workshops, and service centres with high-quality wheel alignment equipment. Including top products such as the Hunter Elite TD, the Hunter PA200 Ace and the Hunter PA200 Lite.
Wheel alignment is an essential component of preventative care that ensures optimal vehicle performance, safety, and tyre’s lifespan. By integrating our Hunter wheel alignment equipment into your service offerings, you can streamline this process, delivering precision and efficiency that both your team and your customers will appreciate time and time again.
If you have any further questions on wheel alignment or your vehicle’s MOT, contact our expert team and Pro Align today on 01327 323007 or through our contact form.
