MOT performance
MOT results for 20-year-old cars
56.9% of 793,834 MOT tests on 20-year-old cars and light vans in 2023–2024 passed first time, 14.7 points below the all-ages rate of 71.5%. 10.1% had at least one dangerous defect. These cars were mostly first registered 2002–2004, at a median 103,387 miles.
793,834 MOT tests on 756,608 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
Check a specific car's MOT history and running costsAt a glance
| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 56.9% | ±0.1 pts (95%), n = 793,834 |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 10.1% | n = 793,834 |
| Median mileage at test | 103,387 miles | n = 793,834 |
| Vehicles tested | 756,608 | 2023–2024 |
| Fuel mix of tests | Petrol 71%, Diesel 29% | n = 793,834 |
Where 20-year-old cars fail
Share of tests that failed on each area of the test. The steepest rises since 19 years are in registration plates and vin (0.7% → 0.7%), body, chassis and structure (9.2% → 9.4%), seat belts and airbags (3.1% → 3.1%).
| Area | Failed on it | At 19 years |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 21.4% | 21.7% |
| Suspension | 16.4% | 17.0% |
| Brakes | 13.9% | 13.9% |
| Body, chassis and structure | 9.4% | 9.2% |
| Driver's view of the road | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.4% | 7.4% |
| Tyres | 6.3% | 6.7% |
| Steering | 4.4% | 4.5% |
| Seat belts and airbags | 3.1% | 3.1% |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Road wheels | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Speedometer and driving controls | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Most common failure items at this age
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 5.15% |
| Stop lamp: not working | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.04% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 3.95% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 3.48% |
| Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt | Body, chassis and structure | 3.02% |
| Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength | Suspension | 2.96% |
| Rbt (sp): efficiency below requirements | Brakes | 2.77% |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 2.76% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction | Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.59% |
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 2.57% |
Failures that peak at 20 years
Of the most common MOT failure items, these are found most often on cars of exactly this age:
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively
- Headlamp aim: too low
- Headlamp aim: too high
- Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded
- Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure
- Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength
Every age
- 3 years · 87.1% pass first time
- 4 years · 85.3% pass first time
- 5 years · 83.0% pass first time
- 6 years · 80.3% pass first time
- 7 years · 77.4% pass first time
- 8 years · 74.1% pass first time
- 9 years · 70.6% pass first time
- 10 years · 67.5% pass first time
- 11 years · 64.8% pass first time
- 12 years · 62.3% pass first time
- 13 years · 60.1% pass first time
- 14 years · 58.4% pass first time
- 15 years · 57.3% pass first time
- 16 years · 56.6% pass first time
- 17 years · 56.2% pass first time
- 18 years · 56.1% pass first time
- 19 years · 56.2% pass first time
Check the car you are looking at
Enter a UK registration to see that car's own MOT history and what it is likely to cost to own. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.
UK number plate or 17-character VIN
About this data. These are MOT test results, not a measure of mechanical reliability: a car's MOT outcome reflects its condition on the day, which depends on how it has been maintained and driven as well as how it was built. Figures cover class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans), normal tests only (retests excluded), outcomes pass, fail and pass after rectification at the station; vehicles at least 2.5 years old at test. Tests from 2023-01-01 to 2024-12-30. “Compared with similar cars” means compared with the national rate for cars of the same age, mileage band and fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Makes and models are matched to 73 Auto's vehicle catalogue; tests that can't be matched are left out rather than guessed. See how the MOT figures are produced.