20/05/2026
If you've never actually been told what an MOT checks → you're not alone. Most garages hand you a pass or fail sheet and leave it at that. 📋
Here's the actual breakdown of what gets tested:
🔍 Identity check → registration, VIN, colour, mileage. Making sure your car matches the system.
💡 Lights and signals → every single one. This is the number one MOT fail across the UK and it's almost always a £3 bulb nobody noticed had blown.
🛞 Tyres → tread depth (legal minimum 1.6mm but we'd recommend more), condition, pressure, sidewall damage.
🛑 Brakes → not just "do they work" but "do they work evenly?" Brake balance matters. Pads, discs, pipes, handbrake.
👁️ Visibility → windscreen damage, wipers, washers, mirrors. Anything that affects the driver's ability to see clearly.
🔧 Steering and suspension → wear, play, damage. The tester checks how the car handles, not just how it looks.
💨 Emissions → exhaust system, catalytic converter, emissions readings.
🚗 Structure → corrosion, damage, anything that affects the vehicle's structural integrity.
That's roughly 40 minutes of genuine inspection when done properly. At Courtwood in Uxbridge, we talk you through every single result — what passed, what's borderline, what needs attention now, and what can wait.
No confusion. No jargon. No pressure.
If your MOT is due in the next couple of months → you can book up to a month early without losing a single day on your certificate.
💬 Question for the comments → has a garage ever explained your MOT results to you properly? Or did you just get a sheet and a bill? 👇
📍 MOT testing in Uxbridge
👉 Book your MOT with confidence
☎️ 01895 236567
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