Before the Test: A Street-Side MOT Check London Drivers Can Do in Ten Minutes

There is a particular kind of November morning in London when the MOT notice lands on the doormat and your heart sinks. It is dark, the car is parked under a tree, and you are already late. The good news is that a lot of MOT failures and advisories start as small things you can spot yourself in about ten minutes — not with a diagnostic computer, just with your eyes, a torch and a bit of common sense.

This is the walkaround we suggest to neighbours before they book a test. It is not a substitute for an MOT, and it is not a mechanic's inspection. Think of it as a pre-flight check: it helps you sort the easy stuff, avoids a silly fail, and tells you when something needs proper attention.

Start with the car settled and the engine off

Park somewhere reasonably level if you can, switch everything off and give yourself a moment. Check that the registration plates are clean and legible — a grimy plate is an easy thing to miss and an easy thing for a tester to note. Have a quick look along both sides of the car for anything hanging loose: trim, mudflaps, a mirror cap, or a bit of bumper that has been held on with hope since a kerb incident.

If you have a torch, use it. London streets are not always well lit, and a phone torch is fine for checking tyres and lamps.

Lights: the one-minute circuit

Ask a neighbour or family member to help, or use a wall or shop window to see reflections. Start with the ignition on and work around the car:

• Headlights on dipped beam, then main beam.
• Side lights and rear lights.
• Indicators front and rear, both sides.
• Hazard lights.
• Brake lights — this one really needs a helper or a reflective surface.
• Rear fog light, if fitted.
• Number plate lamps.

Look for a bulb that is out, a lens that is cracked, or a light that is flickering. A failed bulb is one of the most common reasons for a quick MOT fail, and often one of the cheapest to put right. Do not ignore a warning on the dash that says a lamp is out; it is usually telling the truth.

Tyres: tread, pressure and sidewalls

This is the bit worth doing properly. On each tyre, check the central three-quarters of the tread across the width. The legal minimum for cars is 1.6mm, but most of us would rather not run anywhere near that, especially with London potholes and wet leaves around.

Look for bulges, cuts, cracks and objects stuck in the tread. A bulge in the sidewall is not a 'keep an eye on it' situation — it needs attention before you drive far. Check pressures when the tyres are cold, using the figures in your handbook or on the door pillar, not the maximum printed on the tyre sidewall. Under-inflation is hard on fuel, hard on tyres and hard on the car.

While you are down there, give the wheels a wiggle with your hands at the top and bottom if you can safely reach. You are not trying to diagnose suspension, just noticing anything obviously loose or unusual.

Wipers, washers and the view out

Lift the wiper blades and look at the rubber. If it is split, perished or leaving streaks, replace it. A smeary windscreen is not just annoying on a dark commute; it affects what the tester can see and what you can see. Top up the washer bottle with proper screenwash, not plain water, and check the jets squirt where they should.

Give the windscreen a clean inside and out. Check the rear window too. If there is a chip in the driver's line of sight, get it looked at before the test rather than hoping it passes.

Under the bonnet: the quick fluid check

You do not need to be a mechanic to check the basics. With the engine cold, look at:

• Engine oil level on the dipstick, if your car has one.
• Coolant level in the expansion tank — never open the cap when the engine is hot.
• Brake fluid level, if it is visible and easy to reach.
• Screenwash, as above.

Look for obvious leaks under the car after it has been parked. A few drips of water from the air conditioning is normal; fresh oil or pinkish coolant on the road is not. If you are unsure, take a photo and ask us.

Mirrors, plates and the cabin

Check that both door mirrors and the interior mirror are secure and not cracked. Make sure the horn works. Check that seatbelts pull out and retract properly. Clear the clutter from the footwells — a loose bottle or tool rolling under the brake pedal is a genuine hazard.

The small defects testers see most often

In our experience, the same little things come up again and again: a blown bulb, a worn wiper blade, a tyre close to the limit, an empty washer bottle, a number plate lamp out, or a brake light that only works when it feels like it. None of these need to ruin your week. Most are straightforward to fix, and some are DIY jobs if you are comfortable doing them.

When DIY is enough — and when to book it in

Changing a bulb or topping up screenwash is a sensible DIY job. Checking tyre pressures and replacing wiper blades is well within most people's comfort zone. But stop and book a repair if you spot uneven tyre wear, a pulling steering wheel, grinding brakes, a warning light that stays on, a fluid leak, or a bulb fault that keeps coming back. Those are signs of something bigger, and an MOT is not the right place to discover it.

We would rather see a car a week early than have a customer fail on something we could have sorted cheaply beforehand. That is not a sales pitch; it is just a calmer way to run a car in London.

Your printable ten-minute checklist

• Plates clean and legible.
• All lights working, including brake lights and number plate lamps.
• Tyres: tread, pressure, sidewalls, no bulges or cuts.
• Wipers not split; washers working; screenwash topped up.
• Oil, coolant and brake fluid levels checked when cold.
• No obvious leaks under the car.
• Mirrors secure and undamaged.
• Horn works; seatbelts retract.
• Cabin clear of loose items.

Save this page or print the list and keep it in the glovebox. Ten minutes on a Sunday can save a lot of hassle on a Tuesday.

At London Avenue Garage, we see plenty of cars that are fundamentally sound but let down by a five-pound bulb or a tired wiper blade. A quick walkaround is not about being paranoid. It is about knowing your car well enough to spot the small stuff before it becomes an MOT headache.