What Does An MOT Involve?

An MOT is a test that was certified by the Ministry Of Transport (hence the name); the Ministry actually no longer exists, but the MOT continues to this day and is the test designed to ensure that a car meets the national standards required for a vehicle to be deemed suitable to go out on the road. In an MOT, any problems that the vehicle has which either hinder the driving experience somewhat or prevent it from being safe for any usage are identified, and they have to be resolved (they can sometimes be fixed by a mechanic at the time) for the car to be passed.

When Is The First MOT Required?

Your car will not require an MOT right away, though. It will be three years on from when you have bought the vehicle that you will be responsible for ensuring that it completes its first MOT test. More than likely, if you are not experiencing any issues with your car beforehand, then it should pass its first MOT with flying colours, but it is also possible that some unknown problems may be identified which will ensure that your car is inspected thoroughly, with these potential setbacks nipped in the bud before they become serious, allowing you to then safely resume driving the motor.

When Are Subsequent MOTs Required?

After your car has passed its first MOT, you will receive an MOT certificate that covers you for the next twelve months. Therefore, this means that you will need to ensure that your car has another MOT within that one-year window. Many drivers look to wait until the final few weeks to maximise the time period, but others prefer to undergo MOTs more often to fix any nagging flaws with the motor. Either way, all subsequent MOTs must be carried out every twelve months, and its’s worth remembering that the older the car gets and the more usage the car takes on, the more likely it is that an MOT will become a high priority to make sure your vehicle is still suitable for driving.

You can find out more about the first MOT and subsequent MOT tests for your car, as well as learning when you can arrange an MOT here at Belmont MOT and Service Station, by visiting www.belmontmot.co.uk.

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What is a DPF?

DPF is short for diesel particulate filter, it is an item that sits in the exhaust of diesel cars and cleans the gases before releasing them into the air. This cleaning process causes the filter to “fill up” and if it isn’t cleaned it gets blocked and can cause a number of serious faults. The first fault you would notice is the DPF light on your dashboard warning you of a fault. Normally a clean can remove this light and your car operates as normal. However, on the odd occasion cleaning doesn’t work as it is too full and considered failed.

You might be wondering why the DPF didn’t clean when it’s supposed to. Well, let’s look at how the cleaning process works with the filter. There are 2 different ways in which it can be cleaned and is all done automatically by the ECU of the car. The first involves injecting fuel into the filter when it is at a certain temperature, the fuel then mixes with the carbon inside the filter and burns off. The second is very similar but instead of injecting fuel, it injects a special fluid that has the same characteristics and performs the same task for the DPF. The cleaning process is called dpf regeneration. We’ve noticed that older, used cars, suffer with DPF issues as the first owner isn’t aware of how to use it.

Before the cleaning process begins a number of things need to happen.

1. Your car needs to be at full operating temperature.
2. You need to have at least 1/4 tank of fuel.
3. Your engine needs to be over 2500 revs per minute for 15 minutes (more recommended)

Without these being met, your car will not request cleaning the DPF as it will not complete the process adequately. This is why diesel cars are now recommended for those who do plenty of motorway driving.

Will Removing it Fail an MOT?

A removal is an option that garages offer as replacing the DPF can be very expensive. However, as of 2014 the DPF is something that will be tested under MOT conditions.  The workings of the filter isn’t what is tested but checking for a filter and that it is intact is on the test. If the DPF is removed then you will fail your MOT test.

If you have been looking for an MOT in Liverpool then be sure to consider us here at Belmont MOT. You can always ensure a fair test as a proud member of the Good Garage Scheme.

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