Check car heading for Tottenham (5)
I believe the answer is:
audit
'check' is the definition.
(an audit is an examination or check)
'car heading for tottenham' is the wordplay.
'car' becomes 'audi' (Audi is a German car brand).
'heading for' says to take the initial letters.
The first letter of 'tottenham' is 't'.
'audi'+'t'='AUDIT'
(Other definitions for audit that I've seen before include "Roman Aquae Sulis" , "Thoroughgoing check" , "Financial investigation" , "Review firm's accounts, annual check" , "Inspection of the account books" .)