Safety & Legal

MOT Failure and Tyres: What Glasgow Drivers Need to Know

Glasgow Mobile Tyre Guys
18 April 20254 min read

Tyre condition is one of the most common causes of MOT failure. Here is what testers look for and how to avoid a fail on your next MOT.

Tyre condition is one of the most frequently cited reasons for MOT failures across the UK. Any tyre with insufficient tread depth, visible structural damage, or incorrect specification for the vehicle will result in an immediate failure. Addressing tyre condition before your test date avoids the inconvenience and cost of a retest.

During the MOT, the tester checks tread depth across the central three-quarters of each tyre's breadth. Any tyre measuring below 1.6mm tread depth is an automatic failure. Inspectors also examine tyres for bulges, cuts, exposed cords, and sidewall damage that compromises structural integrity.

Additional checks include valve condition, tyre age on older vehicles, and whether incompatible tyre types are mixed on the same axle — for example, mixing radial and cross-ply tyres. Using a space-saver spare tyre on a driven axle for the test will also lead to a failure.

If your vehicle has failed its MOT due to tyre condition, Glasgow Mobile Tyre Guys can supply and fit the correct replacement tyres the same day, often at your home or a location convenient to your test centre. Call 0141 673 8418 to get back on the road and rebook your retest with confidence.

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MOT tyres Glasgowtyre MOT failure Glasgowtyre replacement before MOT

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