Vehicle Maintenance and Checks
Vehicle maintenance and safety checks are the regular inspections and basic upkeep you carry out to make sure your car,
motorcycle or other vehicle is safe, roadworthy and legal to drive. They include checking things like your
tyres, brakes, lights, steering, mirrors and fluid levels. Understanding vehicle maintenance and checks
is essential for passing the DVSA driving theory test and for staying safe
on real UK roads.
Use this Vehicle Maintenance and Checks guide to learn the key rules for learner drivers, see how they apply in everyday
driving, and help you prepare for the UK
car theory test,
motorcycle theory test,
HGV / LGV theory test,
PCV theory test, or
ADI Part 1 DVSA theory test.
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What is vehicle maintenance and why is it important?
Vehicle maintenance is all about keeping your vehicle in a safe, legal and roadworthy condition. You must make sure your vehicle and any trailer are safe to drive before you set off. This includes:
- Checking your brakes, steering, lights, indicators, exhaust system and seat belts are working properly.
-
Making sure your tyres are the correct type, correctly inflated and in good condition with safe tread depth.
-
Keeping enough fuel for your journey and checking key fluid levels such as oil, coolant and screenwash.
Regular maintenance helps you spot problems early,
reduces the risk of dangerous defects and helps you stay safe and legal on the road.
Key vehicle maintenance and safety check rules
As a learner driver or rider, you need to understand basic vehicle checks and can keep your vehicle safe and
legal to use. Here are the key vehicle maintenance rules you should know:
-
Before every journey, especially long trips or when carrying a heavy load, check your
brakes, lights, indicators, steering, mirrors, windows, wipers and washers are working correctly.
-
Make sure your tyres are the correct type and in good condition – no cuts, bulges or cord showing – and that they have
safe tread depth and the correct pressure for your vehicle and load.
-
Check important fluid levels, including engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and screenwash, and top them up when needed so
your vehicle continues to work safely.
-
Keep windscreens, windows, mirrors and lights clean and clear of dirt, frost, mist or stickers that might block your view.
-
Never drive a vehicle that has an obvious defect, such as brakes pulling to one side, warning lights that stay on,
excessive smoke from the exhaust or steering that feels loose.
-
Make sure your vehicle is not overloaded and that any load is properly secured so it cannot move, fall off or block your
view to the front or rear.
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When you leave your vehicle, switch off the engine, remove the key, lock the vehicle and secure valuables. This helps prevent theft and keeps your vehicle safe.
These vehicle maintenance rules are based on Rule 89 of the UK Highway Code and
Annex 6 – Vehicle maintenance, safety and security. Want to see the official Highway Code maintenance rules?
View the Highway Code rules for drivers and motorcyclists
and
read Highway Code Annex 6 – Vehicle maintenance, safety and security
.
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Vehicle safety checks before you drive
As a learner, it helps to have a simple checklist of the basic safety checks you should carry out regularly. Before
driving, you should typically check:
- Fuel: you have enough fuel (or charge, for electric vehicles) for your journey, with a safe reserve.
- Oil and other fluids: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and screenwash are at or near the correct levels.
-
Lights and indicators: all external lights and indicators work and lenses are clean – ask someone to help you check front
and rear lights.
-
Tyres: no cuts or bulges, safe tread across the whole width of the tyre, and pressures set according to the
manufacturer's handbook.
-
Windows, mirrors and wipers: clean and free from ice, mist and stickers that block your view; wipers in good condition and
washers working with enough screenwash.
-
Brakes and steering: brake pedal feels firm, handbrake holds the vehicle securely, and steering feels normal with no unusual
noises or heavy spots.
These simple checks take only a few minutes and are recommended in Highway Code Annex 6 – Vehicle maintenance, safety and security
as part of good everyday driving practice.
Vehicle maintenance and checks in real driving situations
Vehicle maintenance is not just something you do for the DVSA theory test – it's vital for everyday driving. You'll use these checks
every time you:
- Prepare for a long journey on motorways or rural roads and want to reduce the risk of breaking down.
-
Drive in bad weather such as heavy rain, snow, fog or ice, when good tyres, wipers and lights are even more important.
-
Carry passengers or heavy loads and need to adjust tyre pressures and make sure the vehicle isn't overloaded.
-
Park your vehicle in unfamiliar places and need to keep it secure by locking doors, closing windows and removing valuables.
In your practical driving test, examiners may ask you basic "show me, tell me" questions about vehicle safety checks and
will expect you to drive a vehicle that appears safe, roadworthy and well maintained.
Vehicle maintenance and checks theory test questions in the DVSA theory test
Vehicle maintenance and safety questions appear in the multiple-choice part of the DVSA theory test in several ways. You may be asked:
- Which checks you should carry out before a long journey or when carrying a heavy load.
- How to spot defects in your tyres, brakes, steering, lights or exhaust system.
- What you should do if a warning light comes on while you're driving.
- How to keep your vehicle secure and less attractive to thieves when you park.
Explore a sample of the latest DVSA theory test revision questions in Driving Theory 4 All's
theory test questions and answers section.
Do I need to know vehicle maintenance and checks for my UK DVSA theory test?
Yes. Vehicle maintenance and safety checks are an important part of the UK theory test syllabus for
car,
motorcycle,
HGV / LGV,
PCV and
ADI Part 1 learners. You should know the basic checks
you must carry out, how to keep your vehicle roadworthy and secure, and which defects might make your vehicle unsafe or illegal to drive.
The best way to learn them is to revise the Highway Code rules and Annex 6, practise with DVSA-style revision questions and explanations,
then test yourself with realistic mock theory tests.
Take a free DVSA practice theory test
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Source: Department for Transport (GOV.UK) - The Highway Code. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.