MOT failures by make
Skoda MOT failures for “Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”
Skoda cars failed their MOT on “Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” in 0.94% of 1,551,957 tests in 2023–2024 (14,596 tests) — 1.7 times as often as comparable cars of the same age, mileage and fuel, which would have failed on it in about 0.56% of tests. It is the number 15 most common failure item on Skodas.
Data to 2024-12-30 · Page updated 2026-09-28 · Publisher: 73 Auto
- Skoda tests failing on it
- 0.94%
- 14,596 of 1,551,957 tests, 2023–2024
- Comparable cars
- 0.56%
- national rate at the same age, mileage and fuel
- Observed ÷ expected
- 1.68×
- 73 Auto analysis · rank #15 for Skoda
How unusual this is for the make
Across all MOT failures, Skodas fail 11% less often than comparable cars. On this item the gap is 1.89× wider than that overall level, so it is a genuine Skoda pattern rather than a reflection of how often the make fails in general. It is a major defect in the suspension part of the test. Nationally it appears on 0.69% of MOT tests.
Skoda models and “Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”
The Skoda Rapid is most affected (2.33× comparable cars); the Skoda Kodiaq least (0.18×). Not every model follows the make: the pattern is concentrated in some models. Model rows compare with cars of the same age and fuel.
| Model | Tests | Failed on it | vs similar cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skoda Rapid | 45,190 | 0.71% | 2.33× |
| Skoda Octavia | 410,920 | 1.40% | 2.21× |
| Skoda Yeti | 152,100 | 1.04% | 1.85× |
| Skoda Roomster | 37,678 | 1.80% | 1.62× |
| Skoda Fabia | 469,470 | 1.11% | 1.49× |
| Skoda Superb | 126,923 | 0.61% | 1.47× |
| Skoda Citigo | 104,908 | 0.20% | 0.75× |
| Skoda Karoq | 94,560 | 0.02% | 0.73× |
| Skoda Kodiaq | 67,310 | 0.01% | 0.18× |
By age at test
The difference is largest at 16+ years old: 3.17% of Skoda tests against 1.64% for comparable cars.
| Age (years) | Skoda tests | Skoda | Comparable cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | 256,666 | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| 5-6 | 274,696 | 0.15% | 0.10% |
| 7-8 | 277,051 | 0.39% | 0.27% |
| 9-10 | 236,271 | 0.83% | 0.62% |
| 11-12 | 150,631 | 2.07% | 1.17% |
| 13-15 | 143,500 | 2.80% | 1.62% |
| 16+ | 122,520 | 3.17% | 1.64% |
Other Skoda MOT faults that stand out
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn · 1.73× comparable cars
- Stop lamp: not working · 0.60× comparable cars
- Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak · 1.52× comparable cars
- Service brake performance: excessively binding · 1.58× comparable cars
Limitations
Official data: DVSA's anonymised MOT results (2023–2024), class 4 initial tests, cars at least 2.5 years old. 73 Auto analysis: the comparison rate applies the national rate of this item for each test's own age, mileage band and fuel to the Skoda tests. An MOT result reflects maintenance, mileage and how a car is used as well as its design, so this is not a measure of which make is most reliable. The wording of the defect is DVSA's.
Has this Skoda failed on it before?
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UK number plate or 17-character VIN
Where these figures come from
- Anonymised MOT tests and results (2023 and 2024) — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Open Government Licence v3.0.
Figures labelled as 73 Auto estimates are our own analysis of these sources, set out in the methodology and data sources. To report a factual error, see corrections.