NCT REPORT: FAIL DANGEROUS

myfreespirit · 13-03-2026 09:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308487#Comment_124308487

Not quite the case - I witnessed a car being collected on a low loader truck from the Northpoint 1 NCT centre in Ballymun about 3 years ago. Earwigging the conversion between the young lady driver and the truck driver, it was clear that the car had failed Dangerous and she (the owner) was afraid to drive it.

blackbox · 13-03-2026 10:23AM

Any insurance policy I have had has required the car to be in a roadworthy condition.

TerrieBootson · 13-03-2026 10:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308403#Comment_124308403

The only valid test is the most recent one. Not the most recent but one. Once you go for the test and are tested all previous tests are invalid

BrianD3 · 13-03-2026 10:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308295#Comment_124308295

If you are going to snark at other posters and demand they prove their assertions, where's your proof to support your "belief" that NCT status changes on a fail regardless of there being a valid cert

Also, evidence that this is the case with the UK MOT?

It seems as though you are confusing roadworthiness with certification. Easy mistake to make.

If a certified car gets a fail dangerous and the owner fixes the problem but doesn't get the car retested, what happens then?

Also, this exact issue was discussed before with posters quoting from the Irish statute book and guidance on the MOT. Also someone said they contacted NCTS and got an answer that contradicts your position.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2056536571/nct-fail-with-3-months-remaining-on-cert

L1011 · 13-03-2026 11:13AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308806#Comment_124308806

I stated that the person making the claim needs to back it up, and I did not make the initial claim. That isn't snark.

You may have done this for them, however the SI quoted in the 2012 thread has since been repealed and replaced.

Multiple times in fact - 2014, 2017, 2020, and the latest amended about 20 times since. Will see if i can get a consolidated version to see what the current status is.

The MOT quote there appears to be from a third party website, not a Government source and is again 14 years old.

Orban6 · 13-03-2026 11:28AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308315#Comment_124308315

You're talking nonsense.

A new cert, whether a fail or not, is valid from the date it is issued, not from the date that the old cert expires.

Anyway, that isn't the question posed in the OP.

davetherave · 13-03-2026 11:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308289#Comment_124308289

Might depend on the insurance policy/underwriter/broker.

My own says, General conditions which apply to the whole policy:

You or any insured person must:

take all reasonable steps to prevent accidents, injuries, loss or damage;
protect the vehicle against loss or damage;
give us access, at any reasonable time, to examine the vehicle;
not leave the vehicle unlocked while unattended or leave the keys to the ignition (or device for the keyless entry system) with or near the vehicle while unattended; and
make sure the vehicle is kept in a roadworthy condition and, if necessary, has a valid NCT certificate.

If you've gotten a fail dangerous, then it's surely not roadworthy and any bit of paper from 11 months ago doesn't matter because there is a newer bit of paper that says otherwise.

standardg60 · 13-03-2026 11:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308727#Comment_124308727

This is what has always bugged me about the NCT. It gives absolutely no legal warranty or guarantee that your car is roadworthy, yet you are required to have one to have your car legally considered roadworthy.

How does that work?

Seth Brundle · 13-03-2026 12:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308926#Comment_124308926

It is a periodic test to test if your car is roadworthy at the time of testing. Prior to testing, some people were driving around in rustbuckets with bald tyres and crap suspension.
The concept of a periodic test is to help keep a basic standard out there which in some cases may deteriorate between tests but on the whole the standard of maintenance has improved (also in part to better manufacturing standards etc)

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 12:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124308413#Comment_124308413

Post 14 on this thread above links to post #19889 of the Burke thread where I'm still waiting for you to post your source.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 12:47PM

Apologies OP I was just giving my recent experience and opinion, with a fail dangerous on a tyre.

Yes a tyre should be changed when it is below the limit of 1.6 mm. But, It is not reasonable and totally disproportionation for it to be absolutely too dangerous to drive at say 1.5mm (so the depth of a sheet of paper below 1.6 mm) for a small period until it is fixed.

Do people genuinely think my car in this case was too dangerous to be on the road, and should have been trailered away?

Maybe the NCT are just covering their ass - which is why they only put on a small easily removed sticker. I wonder do they have a proper sticker for the rare genuinely dangerous cases.

You are trying to work within the system, getting your car NCT’d and most likely have it insured and taxed, and shall drive it sensibility given you are aware of a few issues until it is fixed. It would not be reasonable to prosecute you for this, and I believe most guards would think like this.

Driving 1kph over the speed limit does not make you a raving lunatic, though there are those who appear to think so and would prosecute you for it. These types are generally confined to parking duties only thankfully.

(And separately, I did the test 1 month early so still had a valid NCT on my window until the end of the month)

L1011 · 13-03-2026 12:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309049#Comment_124309049

It's a quote, not a link. If you made things clearer rather than dragging stuff across threads you might actually make sense.

I am not dragging stuff across threads, especially not in to a thread you were threadbanned from!

Seth Brundle · 13-03-2026 01:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309052#Comment_124309052

Yes a tyre should be changed when it is below the limit of 1.6 mm. But, It is not reasonable and totally disproportionation for it to be absolutely too dangerous to drive at say 1.5mm (so the depth of a sheet of paper below 1.6 mm) for a small period until it is fixed.

I'll put the question back to you: in wet conditions, would having just 1.5mm of tread be a potential danger to you and to others?

(And separately, I did the test 1 month early so still had a valid NCT on my window until the end of the month)

I'd make the fairly safe assumption that the Gardai's ANPR systems and the mobility app refer to the most recent NCT status.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 01:36PM

It continues…

You haven't answered my question as to whether you think my car should be trailered away for one tyre at say 1.5mm, and if that is reasonable.

But to answer your questions:
1) The 1.6 limit is generous. It used to be 1.0, but was increased probably to allow a margin of error.
1.5 to 1.6 is 0.1mm the width of a piece of printer paper.

Thread gap ( the depth that is that is measured) does NOT grip the road wet or dry.
Only rubber grips the road - which is why race cars uses slicks - tyres without thread - in the dry.

Thead is only there to pump or channel water away from the rubber to allow it to grip.
Too low of thread reduces the efficiency of this pump - and can cause auqa-planning whereby the wheel is suspended by a film of water - so the rubber never touches the road. This pump is also very much impacted by speed.

So 1.5 is marginally less than 1.6 so is a marginally less efficient water pump, but is much less that a new tyre of 6.0mm - but in my case 1.5 or 1.6 or 1.7 is perfectly adequate for the driving I do. ( I would feel it otherwise and it allows a good margin of error).

2) The valid cert means my insurance is valid.
On the slim chance I meet a guard..they are generally reasonable, and would generally be happy that the OP or myself are engaging with the NCT process, and would allow us a week or 2 to fix any issues.

I did in fact get stopped on a different car, which was well out of NCT, but the guard was happy to allow me proceed when I showed him the NCT appointment email for 1 month hence - but explained that otherwise he would have done me. I think he walked around the car also and looked at the tyres which were good.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 02:05PM

I should add that the tyre or rubber compound makes a large difference to grip, and I use reasonablly good brands.
There are some (mostly chinese) tyres seeming legal which have practically no grip in the wet even when new with full 6.0mm thread at any speed.

So maybe the RSA could do something about this instead of persecuting reasonable people with this fail dangerous nonsence.

Orban6 · 13-03-2026 02:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309052#Comment_124309052

Good grief!

Regarding your very last point, if you failed the test a month before the expiry of the old test, then you have failed the test.

IF a car is deemed dangerous to drive on the date of the (early) test, then it is not deemed dangerous to drive only when the existing cert has expired. It is certified as dangerous to drive as from the date of the new cert.

The Guards won't care about the old disc on your car.

It is simply a disc on your windscreen. The system may say otherwise.

Prove me wrong.

But this isn't what the OP was asking.

Seth Brundle · 13-03-2026 02:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309189#Comment_124309189

Thanks for the patronising lecture on tyre grip but to be honest, I would consider myself fairly well informed on the matter through years of interest.

Firstly, given the clear attempt at sarcasm in your opening line, maybe I should respond your multiple paragraphs attempting to educate us by pointing out that it is not "thread" (as in what one stitches things with) but "tread" (as in what one does with a foot)!

Anyhow, as for your reference to "marginal" when comparing 1.5mm to the legal minimum of 1.6, 1.6 is fairly crap in wet conditions. Making fairly crap marginally worse is going to be noticeably reflected when driving in wet conditions, both when cornering and when stopping. My own car's tyres are around 2mm currently and I can feel the deteriorated performance in the wet. Now it is quite possible that you don't notice much of a difference depending on your experience - that doesn't mean performance is just marginally lower - if you believe it is, I'll welcome some research showing a performance trend. However, the likes of ROSPA have published details which indicate that even below 3.0mm, the probability of being involved in a collision increases.

However, looking at the table below taken from the ROSPA link, there is just over 1m stopping distance between 1.6 and 0.9mms per millimetre of tread loss (on a dry surface)…

So I eagerly await your research showing that going marginally below the legal limit only has a marginal effect on tyre performance.

Tyres Review for the Road Safety Observatory

Seth Brundle · 13-03-2026 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309261#Comment_124309261

So maybe the RSA could do something about this instead of persecuting reasonable people with this fail dangerous nonsence.

Honestly, this really is a stupid thing to post!

Flinty997 · 13-03-2026 02:46PM

You know you need to fix the issues so fix them.

If your mechanic is busy go to a different one.

It's that simple.

Flinty997 · 13-03-2026 02:55PM

The technical stuff doesn't matter. You just need to meet a Garda having a bad day and you'll have a nightmare.

ThreeGreens · 13-03-2026 04:46PM

I think people are mixing up two concepts.

The car is required to have a valid NCT and display the disc. It's met that requirement until the day the current disc on the window expires.
The car should be in a roadworthy condition. The NCT centre has tested the car and found it to be unroadworthy.

If the police stops you they won't charge you with not having a valid NCT nor with not displaying a valid NCT disc. But they may charge you with having an unroadworthy car (if you haven't got the issue fixed in the mean time).

It would be up to you at that point to argue your case in front of the judge that the NCT centre were wrong about it being unroadworthy. If it's just your word against the NCT centre the judge is likely to favour the NCT as an expert. If you can bring your own expert to explain why the NCT is wrong you might win.

In your case, most people will just drive home and then to the garage / tyre centre next and get the tyres changed. The risk is probably low and if you can show that you're on your way to the tyre centre (maybe an email with an appointment time) the guard is likely to take sympathy on you. But no guarantee. If you're just continuing to drive it until you get time to fix it, then you're not likely to get much sympathy.

blackbox · 13-03-2026 05:03PM

If the legal minimum permitted tread depth was 1.7mm, but they allowed a leeway of 0.1mm, would you be happy?

What do you think the limit should be?

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 10:10PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309308#Comment_124309308

I have no need or desire to prove you wrong, nor is there any need for historinics.

I stated, in brackets as it is secondary:

"(And separately, I did the test 1 month early so still had a valid NCT on my window until the end of the month)"

So it's valid insofar as its in date - and its in my window - no more, no less.
I'm happy to take my chances with the guards and believe they would assess the case reasonably in any case.

There is noting to prove, but you may answer the question posed of whether you think its reasonable that my car should need trailered home due to a the single tyre at 1.5mm.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 10:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309799#Comment_124309799

I have no major issue with the 1.6, merely how since 2018 (see below) you are fail dangerous requiring trailer home as opposed to just failed with a single tyre at 1.5mm.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 10:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309336#Comment_124309336

Apologies, but you did not state or give any clue of your knowledge and experience on tyres, but instead asked me questions which I tried to answer. It would have been more constructive if you were upfront.

Your research is not necessary as everybody knows in general that less tread gives less grip, and the benefits of 3.0mm are not in question here. We agree that 1.5 is marginally less than 1.6 mm, but may disagree on the impact of this 0.1mm, which is the width of a single page of printer paper - but this does not change the question which you have not answered.

Again, do you agree that you should have to trailer your car home from the NCT centre on 1.5 mm tread depth on a single tyre - as specified in the NCT since 2018?

This is relatively new in that prior to 2018 the NCT testers made a subjective opinion on the overall car to designate it as fail dangerous and this would have been relatively rare; and not for a single tyre at 1.5 - in my experience, and as borne out below.

In 2014 :
4899 cars or 0.4% of those tested were designated fail dangerous,
including the comment “Tyres that were so bald damaged or bulging that there was a risk of malfunction or blow-out.”

https://www.motorcheck.ie/blog/nct-fail-dangerous-cars-cause-concern/

In 2024 :
132,964 or 7.6% of those tested were designated fail dangerous

https://www.thejournal.ie/defective-cars-ireland-6916188-Jan2026/

It shows the ridiculous nature of the RSA/NCT - suggesting that nearly 10% of cars tested should be trailered home, as officially required upon fail dangerous.

And obviously they are not being trailered, and instead of enforcing a manageable 4800 genuinely dangerous cars as per the 2014 figures we have 133 thousand in 2024.

It continues… was clear.I asked the simple question, which is never answered but instead get multiple questions on sub sections of my post - repeatedly....

User1998 · 13-03-2026 10:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124310442#Comment_124310442

Failures had to be categorised as minor, major, and dangerous due to EU testing legislation

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 10:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124309339#Comment_124309339

It seems relevant to me with the RSA/NCT and what is/is not dangerous.

But you are not the arbiter of stupidity and I find this a bit insulting so shall report as I'm supposed to.

gk5000 · 13-03-2026 10:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124310451#Comment_124310451

No issue with this, except the overall result as per my post above this one - 4800 fail dangerous in 2014 v's 133,000 in 2024. There appears to be a major issue with the categorisation or some adjustment is needed.

Orban6 · 13-03-2026 10:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124310436#Comment_124310436

No historninics here.

A new cert that is issued is the cert that is the valid cert. Get it?

The old cert is invalid. Get it?

gk5000 · 14-03-2026 01:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124310554#Comment_124310554

No. There is no new cert (only a fail sheet).
There is an old cert which is still in date, and is fully valid as far as I can see, quickly - from the legislation section on the RSA website.

https://www.rsa.ie/services/vehicle-owners/national-car-test-(nct)/about-the-national-car-test-(nct)

But, better yet, it appears you have 10 days to produce your test certificate - so maybe get a new one quickly if needed, section 19 of Road Traffic Act as given above.

And also, the NCT manual section 6 says the guards are not given anything unless you say ur driving off.

"If the customer states that s/he is going to drive the vehicle:• Advise that An Garda Síochána will be informed. If customer drives the vehicle off the premises the incident must be reported to An Garda Síochána immediately".

So stay stum, and obviously there is no prosecution to the 133,000 who failed dangerously in 2024.

Note: there still may be a risk of "driving a dangerously defective vehicle" but I think that would only kick in if there is something very obvious (to the guard), as there do not seem to be generally informed by the NCT, and I personally would consider the figure of 4899 fails from 2014 to be genuine versus the inflated 133,000.

NCT REPORT: FAIL DANGEROUS

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