DVSA have published this very useful, top 10 reasons vehicles fail an MOT test.
For class 7 vehicles, the top 3 defects were:
- lighting and signalling
- suspension
- brakes
In 2016 there were 1,687 accidents, including 28 deaths, caused by vehicle defects such as tyres, brakes or lights and indicators. It’s important to make sure your vehicle is safe to drive, to help keep Britain’s roads safe.
About this data set
This data set comes from data held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
It isn’t classed as an ‘official statistic’. This means it’s not subject to scrutiny and assessment by the UK Statistics Authority.
MOT test results by class
The MOT test checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards. Different types of vehicles (for example, cars and motorcycles) fall into different ‘classes’.
This data table shows the number of initial tests. It doesn’t include abandoned tests, aborted tests, or retests.
The initial fail rate is the rate for vehicles as they were brought for the MOT. The final fail rate excludes vehicles that pass the test after rectification of minor defects at the time of the test.
Initial failures by defect category
These tables give data for the following classes of vehicles:
- class 1 and 2 vehicles – motorcycles
- class 3 and 4 vehicles – cars and light vans up to 3,000kg
- class 5 vehicles – private passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats
- class 7 vehicles – goods vehicles between 3,000kg and 3,500kg gross vehicle weight
All figures are for vehicles as they were brought in for the MOT.
A failed test usually has multiple failure items.
The percentage of tests is worked out as the number of tests with one or more failure items in the defect as a percentage of total tests.
The percentage of defects is worked out as the total defects in the category as a percentage of total defects for all categories.
The average defects per initial test failure is worked out as the total failure items as a percentage of total tests failed plus tests that passed after rectification of a minor defect at the time of the test.
MOT test stations and testers
You must have an authorised test station to carry out MOTs, and you have to be approved as a ‘nominated tester’ (NT). Other MOT stations include:
- post office operated test stations
- designated local authorities
- the Crown
- some police authorities
Action against MOT authorised examiners and nominated testers
DVSA can take disciplinary action or stop you operating as a testing station or tester if your service is not good enough.