MOT changes which have been in effect since the 20th March 2013 will force motorists to pay attention to warning lights on their dashboard.
The changes have been enforced to bring the MOT test up to date with complicated modern safety
technology which we rely on every day and to bring the UK MOT in line with current EU standards.
New additions to the test mainly focus on the cars electronics, and their associated dashboard warning lights, including power steering, brake fluid levels,
and headlight warnings.
Some motorists might be in for a shock when it comes to their MOT if they don't know previously unimportant warning lights can now be a failure case. Really
the MOT was long overdue an update; cars have become a lot safer, and in turn more complicated, since the test was last changed 20 years ago.
You might be surprised to know that the previous MOT didn't include checks for certain warning lights including the brake fluid level and the power steering
warning light.
Whilst it is easy to be annoyed about these changes which seem to make an MOT test harder to pass and might cost you more in repairs, these warning lights
are there to let you know there is a problem with your car and shouldn't just be ignored. When a warning light comes on on your dashboard, the correct
thing to do is take it to your garage and get it checked out. Yes it may cost some money to rectify the problem but in the long run could be cheaper to
fix the problem initially than to continue to drive your car when there is a potential problem. Especially with things like a low brake fluid level warning
- end up with break failure and a potential accident, tyre pressure warning - risk of potential damage to the tyres, tyre wear quicker than normal, poor
car handling etc all run the risk of additional costs that could easily be avoided if you get your garage to investigate the warning lights straight away.
Things to look out for for your impending MOT - Headlight main beam warning light, Electronic power steering warning light, Brake fluid level warning
light, Seat belt pre-tensioner warning light, Tyre pressure monitoring system warning light (for cars registered from January 2012 onwards)
