A car functions on roads with a complex mechanism. This mechanism is based on multiple components and systems. Your car will function smoothly on roads if every part of the mechanism functions correctly. Even a single bug in the system will cause disastrous results. Your car would not perform well on roads if any component or system has mechanical issues.
Regular car servicing is a good idea to detect mechanical issues. Moreover, the Government of the UK has a chain of cheap MOT centers that check every vehicle for safety issues. These centers issue a MOT pass certificate after positive results of the test. You have to repair your car if it fails its test due to mechanical faults.
The MOT test ensures road safety because this is a legal test. During the test, MOT technicians check different parts of your vehicle to detect mechanical issues and you cannot avoid this checkup. Therefore, most vehicles on public roads are mechanically in good condition due to this crucial test.
MOT centers have a list of components to check during the test. These components include brakes, exhaust, lights, horn, seat & seatbelts, tyres, suspension etc.
These components have their importance in the performance of a vehicle. If we consider car tyres, they directly make contact with the road surface. Therefore, they are extremely important for stability while the driver takes turns or accelerates the vehicle.
Therefore, tyres are included in the list of vital components that are tested during the MOT test.
During the test, MOT Reading technicians check the conditions of car tyres and they issue the MOT fail certificate if they find some common issues. You can avoid failure if you already gain knowledge about these issues.
MOT technicians do not like the following issues with your car tyres:
Low tread depth:
Bald tyres would not satisfy the MOT technicians. Tyres are made up of rubber material that is a biodegradable substance. Therefore, its degradation is a natural process. Moreover, multiple factors like heat, sunlight, UV rays, and ozone trigger the degradation of tyre treads as well. Furthermore, wrong air pressure and wheel alignment are other reasons for reducing the tread depth of tyres.
In the UK, legal limit of tread depth is 1.6mm. Your tyres are illegal for public roads if they have reached this limit. Moreover, bald tyres are dangerous because of multiple reasons. Driving with bald tyres is full of risk due to blowouts, punctures, and cracks. Additionally, bald tyres increase the risk of hydroplaning in wet conditions.
Conclusively, bald tyres are not favorable for road safety. Therefore, technicians do not let you drive your car on bald tyres.
Wrong air pressure:
During the MOT test, technicians will check the air pressure in car tyres. Your tyres must have the correct air pressure at the time of the test. Correct inflation level of air pressure is vital for car tyres for several reasons.
High air pressure is not favorable for car tyres because it creates extreme strain and pressure. As a result, tyres may pop at any time. They are more likely to blow out due to factors like high air pressure, high speed, cracks, and bulges.
Low air pressure is also a negative sign due to the increased size of the contact patch further causing a serious blowout. Moreover, low air pressure increases rolling resistance and disturbs the fuel efficiency of the vehicle at the same time.
Due to these reasons, the wrong inflation level is also a reason for the negative results of the test.
Cracks and bulges:
Wider and deeper cracks on the sidewall are considered a serious fault. Cracks are not favorable for car tyres because of several reasons. Cracks may cause leakage in tyres after reaching the internal structure. Moreover, tyres with cracks are unable to maintain proper grip and traction on roads due to the changed chemical structure of the rubber material. Additionally, car tyres may blow out suddenly due to sidewall cracks.
Similarly, the presence of bulges in the sidewall is also a negative sign. You may fail the test because of even a single bulge in the sidewall. A bulge is like an active bomb that may pop at any time.
Therefore, experts do not issue the MOT pass certificate if they observe bulges in the tyre’s sidewall.
Cuts and punctures:
Sharp objects may cause cuts in the tyre’s sidewall. These cuts in the sidewall are irreparable. Deep cuts may damage the internal structure of the car tyre. Therefore, you must replace your tyres before the test if you observe cuts in the sidewall of your tyres.
Punctures are repairable if they are small in size and do not reach the internal parts of the tyre. Moreover, sidewall punctures are not repairable in any condition.
Therefore, you must fix these issues before the test. Change your tyres if your tyres have cuts or irreparable punctures.
Final words
You can pass the MOT test Reading easily if you check your vehicle for possible issues. Check your tyres for these serious faults to get the certificate. However, wheel alignment is not a part of the MOT but you must check it because of the risk of tread wear. Wheel alignment issues may promote tread wear in your tyres. Therefore, you must consider this indirect issue before the test as well.