ALERT: NCT reveal bizarre reason you never knew could see your car fail test
NCT testers have shared some of the little-known reasons your car could fail its full NCT
The NCT service has warned drivers their cars could fail the NCT for little-known reasons, including 'decorations' near the windscreen.
Testers took to social media to share the warning as they posted images of just some reasons a car could be failed. These included a set of novelty dice hanging from the rearview mirror, a dashcam partially blocking the windscreen, wires dangling in front of the windscreen and a cracked windscreen.
Their post read: "Did you know visibility issues can cause your car to receive a visual fail in its NCT? Keep your car on the road with these simple checks: Top up the screen wash and make sure the washers are working properly; Replace wiper blades if they smear or don't clear the wiped area effectively; Ensure your view isn’t blocked by any decorations on your dashboard.
"Taking care of these small details can be the difference between a pass or a fail," they warned.
The NCT says: "Taking a few minutes to check some of the visual items below and ensuring they are all working in advance of your NCT could potentially save you valuable time and money."
One of the more obscure items that you could easily forget to check is the little bulbs on your registration plates. It is a legal requirement that your registration is visible at all times and if these bulbs aren't working, it cannot be seen at night.
Your car could fail its NCT if its registration plate lamps are "not working, faulty or not fitted; not white in colour; or if the lens is missing or broken." You can check these bulbs by turning your car on and checking the bulbs are on front and rear before the test.
You can see the full NCT visual checklist below:
Windscreen Wipers and Washers
Reasons for failure:
Missing
Not cleaning windscreen effectively
Wiped areas less than sufficient to give the driver an adequate view
Washer, not working, no water or incorrectly aimed
Seat Belts
Belts cut, badly frayed or repaired
Belts not operating properly
Tyre Condition
tread worn, distorted or damaged
tread depth of less than 1.6mm
Incorrectly seated on wheel rim
Valve Damaged
Registration Plate Lamps
Not working, faulty or not fitted
Not white in colour.
Lens missing or broken.
Stop Lamps
Missing or not clearly visible.
Not working or faulty.
Not brighter than tail lights.
Not red in colour
Insecurely mounted
Contains water/moisture
Lens missing or broken
Switch does not operate correctly
Indicator/Tell Tales
Missing, not working or faulty
Lens broken or missing
Not amber in colour
Horn
Control insecure
Horn insecurely mounted
Not working correctly
Not working or not fitted
Registration Plates Front and Rear
One or both plates missing, insecure or not clearly visible.
Numbers or letters missing or illegible or incorrect size
Numbers, letter or background of incorrect colour
Side Lamps
Not white in colour