How Tyre Condition Affects Your Vehicle's MOT Test Results?

It is a familiar feeling of the sinking of car owners in the UK when it comes to the impending MOT test. Will the car pass? Is it going to demand costly repairs? Although numerous factors may affect MOT results, one of the most frequent causes of failure is usually neglected, and that is the condition of the tyres.

The importance of knowing how tyres Faringdon affect an MOT test can make drivers better prepared for it and prevent failures that are not needed. This manual tells all that car owners should know about tyres and MOT tests in simple terms.

Why Do Tyres Matter So Much in an MOT?

The only car component that comes into contact with a road is the tyres. They make the vehicle stable, ensure safe stopping and hold it in all types of weather. Due to such a crucial task, MOT testers pay close attention to tyres.

Tyres undergo several inspections during an MOT test. In case any of these checks indicate something wrong, the car will not pass the MOT. The positive thing that needs to be used is that most problems associated with tyres can be identified and corrected even before the test sets in.

Tread Depth: The Check that Matters Most  

Tread depth is the most important characteristic of tyres. The pattern of grooves on the surface of a tyre that is constructed to drive the water away when you go on wet roads is referred to as the tread.  

The tread of the tyres is worn out and becomes shallow over a long period. Once the tread is so shallow that the tyre is not touching the road in its proper manner, particularly in the rain and driving is unsafe.  

In the UK, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 mm 3/8 across the middle three-quarters of the tyre, around the entire circumference. A lot of professionals advise changing tyres at the moment the tread cannot be longer than 3 mm: at the point below, the stopping distances will become drastically longer.  

A vehicle will fail instantly after having a tyre that has less than 1.6 mm of tread during an MOT. Specialised equipment is not necessary to check the tread depth at home for drivers. A basic 20p coin is sufficient: when the outer ring of the coin is seen when it goes into the tread grooves, then the tyre is worn out and needs a replacement in the near future.

Damage and Defects That Cause MOT Failures

The depth of the tread matters, but not the only one. MOT testers also test the general condition of a tyre. Several different kinds of damage can occur:

Cuts and bulges are serious; notice on the sidewall indicates that the internal structure has been damaged. In most cases, this is due to striking a curb or pothole. The bulge makes a weak point which may burst during a drive. Any swell or a big break will cause MOT failure.

Even when the tyres are hardly used, they may form cracks as they grow old. This tear is referred to as perishing and is caused by the sunlight, weather and chemicals that tear the rubber. Deep cracks are hazardous as they cause the weakening of the structure of the tyre.

Failure may also occur because of objects stuck in the tyre, like nails, screws, and stones. A minor puncture can be fixed, although when the object has struck the structure of the tyre or when it is found on the sidewall, then it needs to be replaced.

Skewed patterns of wear may also be a problem. When a tyre on one side is worn significantly more than the other one, it is evidence that there is an issue with the wheel alignment or the suspension. The presence of uneven wear may constitute an MOT failure in case a section of one of the tyres is below the legal tread depth.

Tyre Pressure and the Valve  

Though the throb of tyre pressure is not directly measured on an MOT, because of changes in pressure depending on the day and the temperature, the valve is checked. The small stem where air is pumped is referred to as the valve.  

Your vehicle may fail the MOT because of damaged/lost/leaking valves. Valve caps can be considered insignificant, but they can protect the valve against dirt and debris. The absence of them may make the valve clogged or damaged, leading to slow leaks.  

Wrong Tyre Types Lead to Failure

The car should also have four tyres that match the car and each other as well. The combination of tyre types can cause an MOT failure. To take an example, you cannot use cross-ply and radial tyres on a single axle. These are different constructions, and most modern cars have radials. 

Even run-flat tyres, manufactured to be able to operate even when punctured, cannot be mixed with other tyres. Tyres should be of the right size and speed rating for the vehicle. Fitting tyres that are not recommended by the maximum speed of the car or are smaller is unsafe and it is bound to fail the MOT test.

Age of Tyres

The age of tyres during a standard Mot Centre Faringdon does not have a certain age restriction; however, extremely old tyres have more chances to fail as they wear off and crack. Manufacturers tend to recommend that tyres older than six years be changed, even though the tyre may still have much tread remaining on it.  

Conclusion

When the car fails an MOT due to tyre issues, then it cannot be legally driven on the roads until the problems are fixed and the car is retested. This may be a hassle and very expensive when a number of tyres are to be replaced.  

More to the point, it is highly perilous to drive on torn or broken tyres. Poor tyres have increased stopping distances and loss of grip in corners, as well as blowing out during high speeds. No, these dangers are not necessary, regardless of the MOT regulations.