MOT performance
MOT results for 5-year-old cars
83.0% of 4,808,669 MOT tests on 5-year-old cars and light vans in 2023–2024 passed first time, 11.5 points above the all-ages rate of 71.5%, between 85.3% at 4 and 80.3% at 6 years. 5.8% had at least one dangerous defect. These cars were mostly first registered 2017–2019, at a median 41,995 miles.
4,808,669 MOT tests on 4,609,065 vehicles, 2023–2024 · Source: DVSA (Open Government Licence) · Analysis: 73 Auto
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| Figure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| First-time pass rate | 83.0% | ±0 pts (95%), n = 4,808,669 |
| Tests with a dangerous defect | 5.8% | n = 4,808,669 |
| Median mileage at test | 41,995 miles | n = 4,808,669 |
| Vehicles tested | 4,609,065 | 2023–2024 |
| Fuel mix of tests | Petrol 55%, Diesel 39%, Hybrid 5% | n = 4,808,669 |
Where 5-year-old cars fail
Share of tests that failed on each area of the test. The steepest rises since 4 years are in suspension (1.3% → 2.2%), steering (0.3% → 0.5%), body, chassis and structure (0.5% → 0.7%).
| Area | Failed on it | At 4 years |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 5.5% | 5.0% |
| Lights, reflectors and electrical | 4.3% | 3.6% |
| Driver's view of the road | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Brakes | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| Suspension | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.2% | 0.9% |
| Body, chassis and structure | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Steering | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Road wheels | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Registration plates and VIN | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Speedometer and driving controls | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Most common failure items at this age
| Item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 1.94% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Driver's view of the road | 1.88% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Brakes | 1.88% |
| Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.38% |
| Condition: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 0.95% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Driver's view of the road | 0.88% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken | Suspension | 0.74% |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 0.73% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 0.70% |
| Headlamp aim: too high | Lights, reflectors and electrical | 0.58% |
Failures that peak at 5 years
Of the most common MOT failure items, these are found most often on cars of exactly this age:
Every age
- 3 years · 87.1% pass first time
- 4 years · 85.3% 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
- 20 years · 56.9% pass first time
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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.