Common MOT Failures on Private-Hire Cars (and How to Avoid Them)

Most MOT failures are preventable

Private-hire cars rack up miles fast, and that means a small set of failure reasons crops up again and again. The good news: nearly all of them can be caught with a 10-minute walk-around the week before your test.

Here is what we see most often at our DVSA-authorised MOT station in Poplar, E14.

The top private-hire MOT failures

### 1. Tyres

Just under the 1.6mm limit on the inside edge — usually a sign of incorrect alignment or worn suspension components. Check: run a 20p coin across all three sections of every tyre.

### 2. Brakes

Worn front pads or scored discs are very common after 25k miles of city driving. Check: any squealing, vibration through the pedal or longer stopping distance is a sign.

### 3. Lights

Blown bulbs — particularly number-plate, rear fog, and brake lights. Check: ask someone to walk around the car while you operate every switch.

### 4. Suspension

Knocking noises over speed bumps point to drop links, bushes or worn shocks. Check: push down hard on each corner — the car should rebound once and settle.

### 5. Windscreen and wipers

A chip larger than 10mm in the driver's view is an automatic fail. Smeary wipers count as an advisory and can become a fail if they don't clear effectively. Check: spray washer fluid and watch the sweep.

### 6. Emissions (diesel)

DPF and EGR issues, particularly on cars used for short stop-start work. Check: any persistent EML warning or visible smoke.

The 10-minute pre-MOT walk-around

Booking smart

Book your MOT a month before it expires. If anything fails you have time to get it fixed without losing shifts, and any retest within 10 working days is free at the same garage.

> Need an MOT slot this week? Request a booking or send your reg on WhatsApp — we usually have same-week availability.