Latest round of MOT horrors expose UK’s hidden dangers and show value of annual test

Send your horror stories, pictures and videos to GW and help highlight the safety critical role of the MOT

Latest round of MOT horrors expose UK’s hidden dangers and show value of annual test
Two wooden stakes held together with cable ties replaces a coil spring.

The annual test has seen major changes to the way it is carried out and monitored in recent months but it seems one thing has remained the same – the role it plays in taking dangerous vehicles of our roads.

One tester recently submitted a picture to the DVSA showing a failed brake disc which had completely sheared from the hub.

The owner of the vehicle recently fitted the set of rear brake discs and pads after buying them for £35 from an online auction site.

After driving just ten miles to the test station, the brake test showed no braking effort from the nearside rear wheel, which put a serious imbalance on the rear braking of the car.

The tester believes the parts were counterfeit – it just goes to show the dangers motorists can put themselves in when buying from an unknown source.

Dangerous tyres

Another technician sent a picture showing a tyre where the tread had lifted and separated from the inner sidewall.

The tester realised there was something wrong as he drove it into the test bay.

It turned out one of the run flat tyres had a “hole big enough to put your hand in”.

When told about this, the customer reflected that the car had been feeling odd, but they’d been driving it around for some time in this condition.

The tyre pressure light didn’t come on either so the owner had no idea there was a problem.

Massive holes

A 2005 Ford Focus was recently presented for MOT but it didn’t take the tester long to discover massive holes in a lower suspension arm.

When told about it, the customer said that, where he came from he was used to just “taping a bank note to the offending part”.

Thankfully, the car has since been scrapped.

Embarrassing bodges

One motorist was caught out with their bodge on a Mitsubishi Carisma.

Wooden stakes held together with cable ties were used to replace one of the front coil springs.

The garage refused to test it on safety grounds.

Have you seen worse? Send your pictures and videos to [email protected] or tell us about your horror stories on the GW forum.

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