Exhausts
Exhaust leaks, rattles, noise and emissions faults, several of which the MOT can fail a car for.
Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. Sunday closed.
When to book it in
A louder or blowing note, especially on acceleration.
A rattle from underneath.
A smell of exhaust fumes inside the car. Stop driving it: the DVSA treats this as a danger to the people on board.
A section hanging low, or visibly rusted through.
Black smoke, or an engine warning light.
What the MOT does and does not cover
The exhaust system is inspected as part of the MOT. It is one of the items checked under body, structure and attachments, and the manual requires it to be checked on every vehicle with an internal combustion engine, hybrids included.
DVSA MOT inspection manual
An exhaust with a major leak, or one that is not properly secured, is recorded as a major defect. A major defect is a fail.
DVSA MOT inspection manual
Exhaust fumes getting into the cabin are treated as a danger to the health of the people on board. That is a dangerous defect, which is a stronger category than major and can mean you do not drive the car away.
DVSA MOT inspection manual
Noise is assessed separately, under the section on nuisance. Whether an exhaust is too loud is judged with the engine running, at the station.
DVSA MOT inspection manual
A catalytic converter that has been removed, or an emissions control system missing from a vehicle first used on or after 1 September 2002, is a reject rather than a fail. There is no discretion in that one.
DVSA MOT inspection manual
Where this shows up in the MOT test
The MOT inspects these areas. Each link goes to the section of the test that covers it.
Book it in, or ask us first
We are at 19 Dane Road, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1JQ.