Feltham, England · MOT Guide
Your car passed its MOT, but the printed sheet lists three advisories, and you have no idea which one actually matters.
What this guide covers
Key Takeaways
- An MOT advisory means your car passed, but the tester spotted something worth watching before it gets worse.
- Advisories differ from MOT minor and major defects mainly in urgency, not in whether the car passed.
- Ignored advisories often become next year’s MOT failure, sometimes within months rather than a full year.
- Not every advisory carries the same risk. Safety items like tyres and brakes deserve faster attention than cosmetic notes.
- Getting advisories checked properly, rather than guessing which ones matter, saves money and avoids a nasty surprise at your next test.
You pick up your car, certificate in hand, and everything feels fine, until you notice the printed sheet lists a few advisories underneath the pass result. No fail, no drama, but also no explanation of what actually needs doing.
Most drivers either panic and rush to fix everything at once, or ignore the list entirely until next year’s test brings bad news. Neither approach makes sense once you understand what MOT advisories actually are and how to prioritise them.
This guide breaks down what an advisory really means, how it differs from a minor or major defect, and which ones genuinely deserve your attention first.
What Are MOT Advisories? The Difference Between Advisory, Minor and Major Defects
Since 2018, every defect a tester finds is graded into one of three official categories: dangerous, major or minor. Alongside these, testers can add advisories, notes about something that has not yet reached even the minor threshold but is still worth keeping an eye on.
A dangerous or major defect fails your MOT outright. A minor defect still lets your car pass, but it is a formally recorded fault the tester wants fixed soon. An advisory sits one step below that. It is closer to a heads-up than an official defect, and it does not affect whether your car passes on the day. The full breakdown of these categories is set out in the GOV.UK MOT inspection manual.
MOT Minor Defects vs MOT Major Defects: Where Advisories Actually Sit
MOT minor defects and MOT major defects are both formally graded faults, the difference between them is severity. A minor defect has no significant effect on safety and your car still passes. A major defect does affect safety, the environment, or roadworthiness, and it fails the test outright.
An advisory sits below both. Think of tyre tread approaching the legal limit, or a very light trace of oil around a shock absorber. Nothing here fails your car today, but a tester is telling you it will not stay this way forever.
Ask your tester to point at the actual part they flagged, not just read the printed description. Seeing the wear in person makes it far easier to judge how urgent it really is.
Why Advisories Are Not Something to Ignore
An advisory is not legally binding. Nobody fines you for driving with one, and it will not affect your insurance on its own. That is exactly why so many drivers file the whole list away and forget about it.
The trouble is that wear only moves in one direction. A tyre a couple of millimetres above the legal limit today will keep wearing down, not repair itself. The same goes for brake pads, exhaust corrosion or a shock absorber starting to weep oil. What passes as an advisory this year is often the exact same item failing as a minor or major defect next year.
Assuming a pass means nothing needs doing. A pass with advisories is still a pass, but it comes with a to-do list attached, not a clean bill of health.
MOT Advisories: Which Ones to Fix First
Not every advisory carries the same weight. Sorting them by urgency, rather than tackling the list in random order, is the difference between spending sensibly and either overreacting or leaving something risky for too long.
A Simple Way to Prioritise Advisories
Sort what you have been given into three rough tiers
Fix Soon: Safety Items
Tyre tread, brake wear and steering components deserve attention within weeks, not months.
Plan Ahead: Wearing Parts
Exhaust corrosion or a light fluid seep can usually wait a few months if monitored.
Lower Urgency: Cosmetic Notes
Minor bodywork marks or a slightly worn wiper blade rarely need immediate action.
Ask Your Garage
If you are unsure which tier something falls into, ask the person who flagged it.
As a general rule, anything connected to tyres, brakes or steering deserves the fastest attention, since these directly affect how your car stops and handles. If you already know an advisory relates to tyre condition, our MOT advisories and service checks in Feltham can confirm exactly how much life is left before it becomes a problem.
Getting Your Advisories Checked in Feltham
Reading a list of advisories on paper only tells you so much. Having someone physically check each item, rather than guessing from the wording alone, is the only reliable way to know what genuinely needs doing first.
Drivers across Feltham, Hanworth and Hounslow bring their advisory lists to us specifically to get that second opinion. It usually takes less time than expected, and it means nothing gets left until it turns into next year’s fail, or a bigger repair bill than it needed to be.
If your last test came back with a fail rather than just advisories, our guide to what happens if your car fails its MOT covers what you can and cannot do next. For general safety guidance that applies whichever garage you use, RoSPA’s vehicle safety advice is a useful reference point. You can also read more about our team on the about us page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an MOT advisory?
An MOT advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not yet reached the legal fail threshold but is worth watching, such as tyre tread approaching the limit. Your car still passes with advisories recorded on the certificate.
Do I have to fix MOT advisories?
Not immediately, and not by law. Advisories are not legally binding, so you will not be fined for driving with one. That said, safety-related advisories like tyres and brakes are worth fixing quickly rather than waiting until they fail outright.
What is the difference between an MOT advisory and a minor defect?
A minor defect is a formally graded fault that still allows your car to pass, while an advisory is a lighter, informal note about something that has not yet reached even that threshold. Both let you drive, but a minor defect is the more serious of the two.
Can an MOT advisory become a failure next year?
Yes, and it often does. Wear only moves in one direction, so an advisory left unaddressed for a full year commonly turns into a minor or major defect at the next test, sometimes a straightforward fail.
Which MOT advisories should I fix first?
Anything connected to tyres, brakes or steering should be your priority, since these affect how safely your car stops and handles. Cosmetic or slow-developing issues, like light corrosion or a worn wiper blade, can usually wait a little longer if monitored.
Do MOT advisories affect my driving legality or insurance?
No, not directly. An advisory does not stop your car passing and is not a legal requirement to fix. It is only if an advisory is left long enough to develop into a dangerous or major defect that driving legality and insurance genuinely come into question.
Got Advisories on Your MOT? Let’s Sort Them Before They Become a Fail
Bring your advisory list to AK Fast Fit Tyres in Feltham and get an honest answer on what actually needs fixing, and what can wait.
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