Almost 10 million MOT failures occurred 2023, more than a fifth of all vehicle tests carried out.
The data, presented by the RAC Foundation, shows that of those failed tests, thousands were caused by vehicles that had a dozen or more fail-worthy faults. The figures highlight the importance of the annual MOT after three years.
One vehicle, a 1997 Daihatsu Fourtrak, was presented for an MOT with 29 separate faults, each of which would have resulted in a fail. A total of 11 were classed as dangerous MOT failures. This was one of 30 vehicles that failed at least one MOT with 24 or more faults that warranted a fail, the data shows.
More widely, 13,785 vehicles saw an MOT failure with 12 or more faults when presented for inspection.
Slight decline in MOT failures
A total of 43,678,099 vehicle MOT tests were carried out last year, the analysis of the DVSA MOT database shows. Of these, 9,873,386 resulted in MOT failures, equating to 22.6% of all tests taken.
This is slightly higher than the MOT failures in 2022, when 9,794,895 vehicles did not pass, a total of 22.5% of all tests undertaken. However, the rate has been declining slowly since 2013, when 28.8% of vehicles failed.
The RAC Foundation study shows that MOT failures often fell into common categories, including:
- Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
- Brakes
- Visibility
- Body, structure and attachments
However, there were also some worrying results amongst the data, such as:
- Nearside front brake disc missing (31 tests)
- Steering lock inadvertently engaging (64)
- Spare wheel likely to become detached (186)
- Bonnet seriously at risk of opening inadvertently (1,667)
- Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour likely to obscure the vision of other road users (6,043)
Worrying attitudes
“Vehicles can fail an MOT for more than 600 different reasons,” commented Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation. “Some of these might well be difficult for owners to spot ahead of time but what is concerning is that drivers are taking cars for a test with such obvious defects as missing brakes.
“It might be that some people are taking a car to be tested just to check quite how many things will need to be fixed before it will get through, but others look like they are turning up with vehicles displaying faults that are impossible to miss.
“This should be food for thought for those who suggest we do not need an annual roadworthiness check.”
With MOT season again upon the industry, thanks to the extension offered during the COVID-19 pandemic and the new-plate introduction in September boosting registrations in the month over previous years, garages are already busy, meaning MOT failures may take more time to book in and rectify.
