ALERT: Worrying news for drivers as 10,000 cars fail NCT for 'dangerous' defect

Irish drivers have been put on alert after 10,000 cars failed the NCT in January alone for a dangerous defect.

The NCT service released the data on their official social media channels as a reminder to drivers to have their car in a fit state to be tested and driven safely on roads ahead of their NCT.

If a car receives a 'failed dangerous' sticker after an NCT, it is advised the driver should not drive the car out of the test centre as it is dangerously unroadworthy. 

However, many drivers ignore the rules and drive out of the test as normal. It has been confirmed that just 52% of cars tested by the NCT service in January 2025 passed the full test. 

Out of 145,172 cars tested in January, 10,022 received a fail dangerous result meaning they had a dangerous defect discovered during the test. 90% of the 65,619 cars brought back to centres for re-tests passed, meaning around 6,000 drivers were told their car had failed again.

Drivers are now facing rising costs when they bring their car to an NCT with the price of a full test rising from €55 to €60. Drivers forced to return for a re-test that's not a simple visual fail face re-test costs of €40, up from €28 since January 1.

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Some of the main reasons cars fail the NCT include worn tyres, failed suspension, brakes and corrosion. 

However, there are a few little known visual reasons your car could fail the NCT as a checklist released by the organisation conducting the tests reveals.

The NCT says: "Taking a few minutes to check some of the visual items below and ensuring they are all working in advance of your NCT could potentially save you valuable time and money."

One of the more obscure items that you could easily forget to check is the little bulbs on your registration plates. It is a legal requirement that your registration is visible at all times and if these bulbs aren't working, it cannot be seen at night.

Your car could fail its NCT if its registration plate lamps are "not working, faulty or not fitted; not white in colour; or if the lens is missing or broken." You can check these bulbs by turning your car on and checking the bulbs are on front and rear before the test.

You can see the full NCT visual checklist below:

Windscreen Wipers and Washers

Reasons for failure:

Missing
Not cleaning windscreen effectively
Wiped areas less than sufficient to give the driver an adequate view
Washer, not working, no water or incorrectly aimed

Seat Belts

Reasons for failure:

Belts cut, badly frayed or repaired
Belts not operating properly

Tyre Condition

Reasons for failure:

tread worn, distorted or damaged
tread depth of less than 1.6mm
Incorrectly seated on wheel rim
Valve Damaged

Registration Plate Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Not working, faulty or not fitted
Not white in colour.
Lens missing or broken.

Stop Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Missing or not clearly visible.
Not working or faulty.
Not brighter than tail lights.
Not red in colour
Insecurely mounted
Contains water/moisture
Lens missing or broken
Switch does not operate correctly

Indicator/Tell Tales

Reasons for failure:

Missing, not working or faulty
Insecurely mounted
Lens broken or missing
Contains water/moisture
Not amber in colour

Horn

Reasons for failure:

Control insecure
Horn insecurely mounted
Not working correctly
Not working or not fitted

Registration Plates Front and Rear

Reasons for failure:

One or both plates missing, insecure or not clearly visible.
Numbers or letters missing or illegible or incorrect size
Numbers, letter or background of incorrect colour

Side Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Missing or not clearly visible.
Not working or faulty.
Not white in colour
Insecurely mounted
Contains water/moisture
Lens missing or broken