MOT Preparation 2018 Changes
Diesel car owners could be severely impacted by a raft of changes when the MOT test is overhauled on 20 May. In a bid to reduce pollution and improve vehicle safety, the new test will target high-polluting diesel cars through stricter emissions tests and inspections of vehicle exhaust systems. Additionally, faults will be classified into three categories. Cars with only minor defects will be allowed back on to UK roads without a repair.Stricter tests for diesels
MOT test centres will now be required to closely inspect the diesel particulate filter (DPF) on cars using the fuel. Unlike the old test, in which engineers passed or failed the DPF through a visual inspection, the filters will need to be removed and examined in the new test. Cars that have had their DPFs removed or tampered with will immediately fail the test, The Sun reports. This could affect a significant amount of diesel owners as “a large number” have the DPF modified because it can frequently become clogged.The visible smoke test will also be more strict, the paper adds, which could lead to more diesels failing if any sign of smog can be seen.More older cars are exempt from an MOT
Drivers with a car aged 40 years or older will no longer be required to have an MOT test to legally drive on UK roads.
The move will affect around 500,000 vehicles, the Daily Express says, which equates to around 1.5% of the 31.7 million cars registered in the UK.
Previously, only cars registered in or prior to 1960 were exempt from a mandatory MOT test, the newspaper says.
