The biggest complaint about the TÜV and how you can check it yourself beforehand

For many car owners it is always a stressful moment: the general inspection. To reduce the chance of your car being rejected by the MOT, you can check your tires yourself beforehand.

The most common reason cars are rejected is because the tires are no longer in good condition. A waste of money because you can easily check the quality of your tires yourself.

Minimum tread depth of the tires during the MOT

The minimum tread depth of a tire tread is 1.6 millimeters. If you are below this, your test report will be canceled immediately. You can easily check this yourself with a (digital) tread depth gauge, which you can buy for a few euros.

Even if just part of the tire is too worn out, your car will be rejected by the MOT. This wear pattern can occur if you drive with incorrect alignment. Cutting new grooves is prohibited. So when you get close to the lower limit, replace your tires. This is recommended for tread depths of less than 2.5 millimeters.

Simple trick

If you don’t feel like it, have the time or money to buy a tread depth gauge, MOT is also an easier way to check how much chance you have. Insert a euro coin into the groove of your tire and check whether your gold rim is already visible. This edge is 3 millimeters high. So when you see the gold edge sticking out above the groove, you know you need new tires.

Damage to the tire

If your tires have enough tread depth, you’re not there yet. A tire must not show any damage. “The tread of the tires must not contain any metal elements that could protrude while driving,” writes the RDW in the TÜV manual. Nails and screws are no fun for inspectors and the tires should not have any dents.

Dry cracks do not immediately mean rejection, but the question arises as to whether you should drive with dried tires. If the cracks are so deep that you can see the carcass of the tire (the inner layer), your car will be rejected for an MOT.

Which tire pressure for the TÜV?

The RDW also writes: “The tires must have the correct tire pressure as prescribed by the vehicle manufacturer for the respective vehicle.” If no tire pressure is specified by the vehicle manufacturer, the tires on an axle must have the same tire pressure.” Find out how here You can check your tire pressure yourself.

2018 and later vehicles equipped with tire pressure sensors may not display an error message. Of course, this can be easily checked by looking at the instrument panel.

Different types of tires

At the TÜV, a TÜV specialist also checks whether you have installed three or four different types of rubber. It is allowed to drive with two different types of tires, but the tires on one axle must be the same. So the front left must be the same tire type as the front right and the rear left must be the same tire type as the rear right.