Drivers warned popular summer car accessory could cause car to 'fail MOT'

A mechanic has warned drivers over a popular summer accessory which could cause cause cars to fail MOT. Craig Cox is a mechanic for Walsall Wood Tyre & Service and regularly posts videos to the company's TikTok channel to advise on how motorists can avoid costly fines and lower their running costs.

He warned: "Sunstrips, they're an absolute hornet's nest of problems. So, straight away, we can see that this particular car has a very large sun strip. Now, the law that the police are enforcing is, if that sunstrip is encroaching into the swept area by more than 10mm, then they consider it unsuitable."

He continued: "Now, under the MOT regulations, we have to assess if it physically affects the driver's view of the road or if it's only stopping them from looking at the clouds in the sky. It is a very, very grey area, but technically, from a police perspective, they can do you for it. So, personally, I would suggest that it should never go beyond 10mm into that swept area."

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According to UK MOT regulations, the sunstrip should not be within the driver's field of view and not significantly affect their view in front or to the sides outside the swept area of the windscreen. UK MOT rules prohibit sunstrips with a reflective or mirrored finish.

UK MOT rules prohibit sunstrips with a reflective or mirrored finish. Such finishes can cause glare for other drivers and create visibility issues, especially during nighttime driving. Ensure the sunstrip is correctly and securely installed to prevent peeling, bubbling, or detachment while driving.

This is not specifically mentioned in the MOT guidance but is the view of the police. The sunstrip should extend beyond 10mm of the swept area of the windscreen wipers. This requirement ensures that the sunstrip does not interfere with the proper functioning of the wipers, maintaining clear visibility during adverse weather conditions.