HYUNDAI ACCENT1998 · 1.3L PETROL

The most recent MOT on this 1998 Hyundai Accent was on 13 May 2014 and it failed. The failure listed a non‑working nearside stop lamp, excessive corrosion on both rear upper suspension spring mounting points and rear shock absorbers described as “very weak and inefficient”. Those same rear‑suspension problems were flagged in earlier tests (May 2013 and May 2013) and the corrosion was noted again in May 2013. A brake‑imbalance defect also appeared in the 2013 failure, and tyre‑size mismatches were recorded in both 2013 entries. The only clean MOT in the record was in May 2012, but that was followed by a separate failure for a washer issue on the same day. The recurring pattern is clear: the rear suspension mounting brackets are corroded and the rear shock absorbers are deteriorating. This is a safety‑critical area because worn shocks and compromised mounting points can lead to poor handling, excessive tyre wear and, in extreme cases, loss of control. The fact that the same corrosion was noted in successive years and that the 2014 test still failed suggests the condition was not remedied and may have worsened since then. Mileage is very low for a 28‑year‑old car – about 2,350 mi per year. Low mileage can mean the car has been lightly used, but it can also indicate long periods of storage.