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MOT tests can be carried out on your car up to one month prior to the expiry date of an existing UK MOT certificate provided that a current MOT certificate is presented to the examiner at the time of the test.

On passing the MOT test, the vehicle will receive a certificate valid from the date of expiry of your existing MOT certificate.

All UK cars 3 years old and over require a valid MOT certificate by law. The contents and standards required are set by the Vehicle Inspectorate.

Brake Maintenance
Brakes are a critical safety item and to provide maximum stopping power, your brakes must be at optimum braking efficiency. Regular brake checks and maintenance are of great importance for the safety of your vehicle and help reduce the possibility of more costly bills in the future.

Typical Clutch faults are:
SLIP – Caused by oil on the friction plate or worn friction plate, the symptoms of clutch slip would be partial or total loss of drive, vehicle speed lower than normal compared with engine speed.
DRAG – Clutch cable not at correct adjustment or centre plate sticking on splines. The symptoms of this would be difficulty in obtaining gear, particularly first and reverse gears.
JUDDER – Caused by warped friction plate or engine / gearbox mounts broken. The symptoms of this would be a shudder and vibration as vehicle moves off from rest

Air Conditioning is increasingly seen as standard equipment on new cars due to the major enhancement it brings to passenger comfort. However, drivers are only just realising that A/C systems do require regular maintenance.

Vehicle A/C systems will tend to lose refrigerant over time as refrigerant permeates through the physical joins between components.

Over time this will cause deterioration in performance.

Worse still, if you leave A/C operating with low refrigerant levels more serious problems can occur, lubricant circulation may be affected and air or moisture may enter the system.

The exhaust system is one of the most hard working components on your vehicle. It is constantly in use whilst the engine is running. An exhaust system on most vehicles usually comprises of four sections:

Manifold
Front Downpipe
Centre Section
Rear silencer box
Also on all vehicles registered after 1993 a catalytic converter is fitted. The most common section to become defective is the rear silencer as moisture gathers inside the box and attacks the metal. Corrosion from the inside results in hole, which causes the exhaust to blow. A defective exhaust will mean the vehicle fails the MOT test. It also causes excessive noise; thereby rendering the vehicle illegal which could lead to a fixed penalty fine. An unchecked exhaust may also result in fumes entering the car, which can lead to headaches, sickness and drowsiness

The steering system on every car is very important and requires regular maintenance to keep it at an optimum standard. The steering rack on all motor vehicles is easily knocked out of alignment by all the speed humps and potholes in the road. When the wheel alignment becomes out of tolerance the tyres will wear unevenly on either edge of the side walls.

Noticeable signs of wheel imbalance to look out for are:

Steering wheel is off-set when the vehicle is travelling in a straight line
The vehicle may drift/pull to the left or right
The front tyres will wear bald or show signs of uneven wear on either edge
If any of these faults are present on your vehicle we strongly recommend you have your wheel alignment checked and adjusted if necessary, as soon as possible.

On the suspension system there are many moving parts, the main component of which is rubber that can dry out over a period of time and can crack and perish. In the worst situation the rubber components can split. You may be able to recognise when a component has become defective, some of the effects could be;

When pulling away from a standstill a knocking noise may occur from the front of the vehicle.
When travelling along uneven surfaces, i.e. speed humps or bumpy roads, once again a knocking noise may be heard from either end of the vehicle and the ride in the vehicle may be an uncomfortable one.
On a straight road, i.e. a motorway, if one side at the front of the vehicle there is a defective component, the vehicle will drift or pull to the defective side.
An important part of the suspension is the shock absorbers, these are usually hydraulic or gas filled. They are essential to control the bounce on the vehicle and to ensure the tyres are kept firmly on the road. Damaged and worn shock absorbers can reduce the braking efficiency, cause poor cornering and tyre wear.