Most MOT failures are small, cheap things: a blown bulb, worn wipers, tyres a few PSI low. This is the kit UK drivers actually use to catch those problems at home before test day — plus the winter and dashcam gear worth having in the car. Everything links to trusted UK retailers; check the price there, as prices move.
MOT Fail Essentials
OBD2 Fault Code Reader
An engine warning light on the dash is an MOT fail, and garages charge to plug in and read the code. A basic reader pays for itself the first time it tells you whether you’re looking at a loose fuel cap or a real sensor fault. Works on most petrol cars from 2001 and diesels from 2004 — check yours before ordering.
Check price at HalfordsHalfords Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator
Under-inflated tyres wear unevenly, hurt braking, and get flagged at MOT time. This plugs into the 12V socket, you set the pressure, and it stops at the right number — no petrol-station air line queue. Check pressures monthly; the correct figures are inside the driver’s door or fuel flap.
Check price at HalfordsDigital Tyre Pressure & Tread Depth Gauge
The cheapest useful gadget on this page. It reads pressure properly (the pencil gauges in most gloveboxes lie) and measures tread depth against the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle of the tyre. Five minutes with this once a month beats a surprise tyre bill on test day.
Check price at HalfordsNOCO GB20 500A Jump Starter
A car that won’t start can’t be MOT’d — you lose the booking and the slot. This pocket-size pack jump-starts petrol engines up to 4.0L without another car or a neighbour’s jump leads. It holds its charge for months in the boot; just top it up after each use.
Check price on AmazonHalfords Advanced 6A Smart Charger
Short-trip driving never fully recharges a battery, and stop/start cars are harder on them still. A smart charger tops it up gently overnight and maintains it without overcharging. If your battery is over four years old and winters are getting slow to crank, start here before buying a new battery.
Check price at HalfordsSlime Tyre Repair Kit Plus
Plenty of modern cars come with no spare wheel at all. This sealant-and-inflator kit is the get-you-home fix for a nail in the tread. Honest limit: it’s temporary — sidewall damage and big tears still mean a recovery truck, and the tyre needs a proper repair or replacement afterwards.
Check price at HalfordsWiper Blades — Find Yours by Reg
Wipers that smear or leave arcs are a top-three MOT failure, and blades are sized per car — there is no universal fit. Enter your reg on Halfords’ finder and you’ll get the exact blades for your car. Swap them in autumn and you’ll never think about them on test day.
Find blades for my car at HalfordsCar Bulbs — Find Yours by Reg
Lighting faults are the single biggest reason cars fail the MOT, and most are just a dead bulb. Fittings (H4, H7 and the rest) are not interchangeable, so use the reg finder rather than guessing. Walk around the car with the lights on the night before your test — it takes two minutes.
Find bulbs for my car at HalfordsCar Battery — Find Yours by Reg
Batteries differ by size, terminal layout and cranking power, so the right one depends on your exact car. The reg finder gets it right, and Halfords can fit it in store if you’d rather not lift one. Don’t buy a battery on price alone — a wrong-spec one fails early.
Find a battery for my car at HalfordsWinter Ready
De-Icer
Clear the whole screen before you move — driving with a letterbox-sized peephole is an offence, not just risky. A proper de-icer melts ice fast without the boiling-kettle trick that can crack a windscreen. Keep the can in the house, not the boot, or you’ll be scraping the door shut line first.
Check price at HalfordsHalfords -30 Screenwash (2L, concentrated)
Plain water in the washer bottle freezes solid in the first real frost, and washers that don’t work are an MOT fail and a miserable motorway drive behind a salt truck. This concentrate is rated well below UK winter temperatures. Mix it before the cold arrives, not after.
Check price at HalfordsHalfords Large Telescopic Snow Shovel
A few pounds, lives flat in the boot, and digs you out of a snowed-in parking spot without tearing trim off with a dustpan. Telescopic handle means it fits cars with small boots too.
Check price at HalfordsNOCO Boost X GBX55 1750A Jump Starter
The step up if you run a bigger engine — up to 7.5L petrol or 5.0L diesel — or just want the fastest recharge between jumps. Cold mornings are when weak batteries die; this is the insurance that fits in a door pocket.
Check price on AmazonDashcams & In-Car Tech
Dashcams aren’t part of the MOT — they’re here because they settle arguments after a bump, when it’s otherwise your word against theirs.
Nextbase 322GW Dash Cam
The sensible middle ground: 1080p recording, GPS, and WiFi so clips go straight to your phone for an insurance claim. If you buy one dashcam and stop researching, this is the one most drivers land on.
Check price on AmazonNextbase 522GW Dash Cam
Steps up to 1440p with a polarising filter that cuts windscreen reflections — the difference between “a silver car hit me” and footage where the number plate is actually readable. Worth the extra if you do a lot of motorway miles.
Check price at HalfordsNextbase 522GW Front & Rear Bundle
A front cam can’t show the car that ran into the back of you. This bundle adds the rear camera, and the SD card is in the box. Fitting the rear cable neatly takes a bit of patience — garages and Halfords fitting services will do it if you’d rather not.
Check price at HalfordsNextbase iQ 2K Smart Dash Cam
The premium pick: always-on monitoring, live alerts to your phone, and emergency SOS features. Most drivers don’t need this — it’s for parents keeping an eye on a young driver’s car, or anyone whose car parks on the street every night. Note some smart features need a subscription; check before buying.
Check price at HalfordsCar Phone Mount
Touching a hand-held phone while driving is 6 points and a £200 fine — and for new drivers, 6 points means losing the licence. A windscreen or vent mount keeps sat nav at eye level and your hands legal. Pick the type that suits your vents; bulky phone cases can defeat the cheap magnetic ones.
Check price at HalfordsHow this shop works
CheckMyMOT doesn’t sell, stock or deliver any of these products. You order from the retailer, they handle payment, delivery and returns, and their prices and stock can change at any time. If you buy through a link on this page we may earn a commission — that’s what keeps the MOT checker free.