'We've encountered a serious issue' - NCT testers warn Irish drivers
"Welding on steering components is strictly prohibited due to safety risks and is an instant fail in the NCT. Always use certified professionals for repairs."
NCT testers have sounded the alarm over a "serious issue" uncovered during a recent vehicle inspection.
Taking to social media, they said: "We’ve encountered a serious issue: a nut broke off the track rod end and was welded onto the car."
The serious safety issue associated with such works prompted the testers to make a major warning to other drivers.
"Welding on steering components is strictly prohibited due to safety risks and is an instant fail in the NCT. Always use certified professionals for repairs," they said.
The post attracted hundreds of comments, with some failing to recognise the seriousness of the botched component. One said: "Well maybe this wouldn’t happen if the roads were fixed. I mean your car has to be 100% road legal but the roads don’t."
Another commenter hit back at that assertion: "To be fair, the road didn’t weld that track rod end to the hub."
Meanwhile, drivers are also being told of other little known visual reasons your car could fail the NCT.
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