Chapter 2 — Section 1: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

Lighting is where an MOT usually starts, and it is a good place for an owner to start too, because most of Section 1 can be checked in your own driveway before you ever book a test. The tester is looking at more than whether a bulb lights up: colour, security, lens condition and beam pattern all matter. A common assumption is that a bulb only has to 'work'. In fact the test sets specific light output and beam requirements so that a car does not dazzle oncoming drivers, and the growth of LED and HID lighting has brought extra checks on self-levelling and headlamp cleaning for units producing more than 2,000 lumens.

01Front position lamps and daytime running lamps

Sidelights must give a steady white light, or yellow if built into a yellow headlamp unit. The tester checks they are visible from a reasonable distance and securely mounted. On vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018, daytime running lamps are also inspected: both sides must work, and they must dim or switch off when the headlamps or sidelights come on, depending on how the car was originally type-approved. A failed daytime running lamp on a post-2018 car is a Major defect.

02Headlamp beam aim and intensity

Beam aim causes more Section 1 failures than anything else. The tester uses a beam setter, a calibrated optical tool, to check the horizontal and vertical position of the cut-off line on dipped beam. On a right-hand drive car the beam should dip to the left so it doesn't blind oncoming drivers; a beam that's blurred or kicked to the right is a Major defect. Testers also look inside the unit for a reflector that has peeled or corroded enough to noticeably cut the light output, and for eyebrow trims or stickers that obstruct the beam pattern.

03Indicators and hazard warning lamps

Direction indicators must flash between 60 and 120 times a minute, checked at all four corners plus any side repeaters. The colour has to be amber; a frequent fail on older cars is the amber coating flaking off the bulb, leaving it emitting white light. Hazard warning lights must work with the ignition on or off, from a single switch that fires all indicators together, and the tester checks that the tell-tale (a dashboard light or an audible click) works to warn the driver the indicators are on.

04Rear fog lamps and stop lamps

A rear fog lamp is required on any vehicle first used on or after 1 April 1980, positioned centrally or on the offside, and it must show a steady red light. The tester checks that the switch has a working tell-tale so a driver doesn't leave it on in clear weather. Stop lamps must light immediately the pedal is pressed; where a high-level third brake light is fitted, at least half of its light source must be visible. If all the brake lights fail together, often a faulty pedal switch, this is a Dangerous defect because following traffic gets no warning at all.

05Rear registration plate lamps

The plate lamp has to light the number plate so it's legible in the dark, in white light that doesn't shine straight back at following drivers. Where a plate has more than one bulb, as most hatchbacks do, one failed bulb is usually an advisory provided the plate is still readable; if none work, it's a Major defect. Testers also check the lamp isn't loose or blocked by a towbar or other fitted accessory.

06Wiring and battery security

This section covers the infrastructure behind the bulbs as well as the bulbs themselves. A loose battery is a Major defect, since it can short or start a fire; testers check for leaking electrolyte and a cracked case. Visible wiring is inspected for chafing, damage or a messy 'bird's nest' repair, and anything likely to touch a moving part, or corroded enough to risk a short, will fail. On modern cars the tester also checks that the stability control and airbag warning lights behave correctly, as part of the wider electrical check.

Most Section 1 failures are cheap and quick to put right, often a bulb or a beam adjustment. Beam aim and wiring faults take a bit more care, but neither should keep a car off the road for long once found.