MOT has overinflated my tyres

Posted 1st Feb 2023

I took my car for an MOT and got a call saying a few faults, which they say they have sorted charged me £20 + £50 for the mot

I have a SUV my tyre pressure should be 35Psi the Mot places has filled all my tyres to 53psi, yes that number it is not a typo

..did they make a mistake..or

33 Comments

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2nd Feb
I wouldn't complain, you got free Air.
2nd Feb
The cars computer isn’t allowing for the lighter summer air that that the garage have put in, it’s still calculating the weight of winter air which is heavier (edited)
1st Feb
Why are they inflating your tyres?
1st Feb
Inflations running at around 10% (16% for food) but it seems they are adding 50% extra inflation.
1st Feb
Have you taken the tyre pressure to know it is 53? If so, and they should be 35 contact the garage straightway and tell them.
1st Feb
Nah, you post it on HUKD first
1st Feb
Maybe they read the pressure upsidedown!
1st Feb
My experience is that garages like to pump tyres to the MAX
2nd Feb
Could the poster have got it wrong themselves and have been underinflating?

No mention of what vehicle and what tyre so no way for us to make an informed decision on who is right or wrong

Whilst 53psi sounds high, there are vehicles and tyres that this would be correct for
Author
3rd Feb
The dashboard says 53 and my Makita also said 53, I have changed them to 35 google says no harm but less grip but does not cause any harm to the tyres
2nd Feb
The pressure sensors probably just used to Supermarket air and not premium air. It'll be a false reading
1st Feb
Pressure increases with heat. Did you check the pressure after driving home per chance?
1st Feb
What 18psi?
1st Feb
If it was purely for MOT then they don’t actually touch anything with the vehicle, if they provide a health check (pressures/fluids) then fair enough but they won’t adjust pressures on an MOT, what were the repairs? (edited)
2nd Feb
I was wondering that as £20 for the repairs :/
1st Feb
Find a new mot testing garage.
I’ve had a testing centre adjust my headlights or change a bulb but that’s it.
1st Feb
Yeah I used to bin off garages that did this, on the basis that they were obviously numpties, and no one wants a numpty working on their car.

But I've ran out of garages, they all seem to do this, they probably send the work experience lad to "check the tyre pressures" to keep him out of the way, and he thinks "higher is better".
1st Feb
what are you checking it with?
Author
1st Feb
The dashboard says 53
1st Feb
Perhaps one of the advises was "(l) Tyre obviously under-inflated" & they pumped it up for you after the test was completed, but firstly what did they say when you contacted them. (edited)
1st Feb
Maybe reading it upset down! Joke
1st Feb
Where have you got 35psi from as the correct tyre pressure for your car?
2nd Feb
30psi is kinda of normal. 53psi is scary, maybe MOT tests to see if tyres will pop at high pressure
2nd Feb
Test with a monitor then let excess air out of the tyres, but I’m guessing you didn’t need me to tell you that. (edited)
Author
3rd Feb
Yep just done that
2nd Feb
The sensor Might need reseting, mine goes weird after a new tyre