MILLIONS of British motorists are desperately searching online for essential ITV safety tests and basic vehicle checks and repairs, research has revealed.
That's why the experts from the two Scottish car web services GoodBye Car and CarMoney are now providing answers to the most frequently asked questions on the Internet.
It is estimated that 29% of Britons fail to renew their MOT on time, which can be dangerous and result in fines and license penalties.
The GoodBye Car team found that the most popular question, with an average of 57,562 queries per month, was When do I have to pass the ITV? There were also 7,754 people who asked similar questions: Has my car passed MOT?
An easy way to find out the answer is to use Gov.uk's online MOT status checker, where you can find out simply by entering your vehicle's number plate.
11,252 people wanted to know how long the process would take. On average, it takes between 45 and 60 minutes from start to finish, but it's advisable to spend the day without your car in case a problem arises.
There were also 11,050 inquiries about the cost of the ITV This can vary but the maximum charge is £54.85 for a car and £39.65 for a standard motorcycle, rising to £124.50 for vehicles with more than 16 passenger seats .
In the meantime, 6,422 researchers were curious: What does TÜV mean? It's an acronym for the Department of Transportation (now Department of Transportation), which created the test in the first place.
There were a further 4,397 searches asking what an ITV is and a further 1,743 questions about what was verified. The annual check is intended to ensure that the vehicles are roadworthy in terms of environmental and safety standards.
All types of parts are examined including the vehicle body, lights, tires, windshield and wipers, seats, seat belts and airbags, brakes, steering, suspension and the escape system.
In particular, 1,233 people wanted to know if you can drive without ITV.
The answer is that you can only go straight to the ITV test workshop once it's expired and nowhere else. Driving without an ITV will void your insurance, you could be fined up to £1000 and have your vehicle impounded.
CarMoney experts have identified the top five most Googled car maintenance questions in 2021 to offer helpful advice.
"What should my tire pressure be? It was searched 36,000 times by motorists. Low tire pressure is dangerous as it can lead to tire failure which can be fatal at high speeds, so regular checks with a pressure gauge are essential.
You can find out what pressure you should have in your tires in your vehicle manual or on a small sticker on the driver's door panel or on the gas cap.
There are 20,400 searches per year for "how to check tire tread". The legal minimum must be greater than 1.6 mm. If you insert a 20p into the rim well and the outside edge of the patch is showing, the profile is too low and a new tire is needed.
How to Change Your Windshield Wipers is viewed 5,400 times a year, and CarMoney says replacing damaged windshield wipers is essential to avoid accidents in tough conditions.
Other popular searches relate to oil levels and oil changes, and it's important to check if the engine is low on oil and follow recommended service intervals.
Removing scratches on car windshields has also gotten 1200 results, and if it's not too bad you might be able to fix it with special polishes and microfiber towels without having to seek professional help.
CarMoney's Andrew Marshall said, "Keeping up car maintenance can seem like a daunting task, but if problems aren't fixed quickly, they can be dangerous and costly."
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