One in 10 cars that pass MOT should have failed, finds survey
August 2023 - Automotive
One in 10 cars that pass MOT should have failed according to DVSA examiners: A survey of cars that were re-examined following passing their MOT has found that 10.1% should have in fact failed the annual check up, with lights, reflectors and electrical equipment the leading cause of failure.
The MOT Compliance Survey 2021-22 looked at 1,732 MOT tested cars to reevaluate their passed status, finding that the equivalent of 1.3million vehicles were passed incorrectly. This could mean that there are potentially thousands of unsafe cars on UK roads.
The research found that of the sample re-tested by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) examiners, 65.9% had at least one defect, which initial testers had either examined incorrectly, missed entirely or recorded under something else.
More than half (51.6%) had three or more issues missed or areas which were disputed by DVSA examiners. While a quarter of cars failed for lights (25%), suspension was the second most common source of failure (19%), followed by brakes (16%). Other common defect areas where DVSA examiners disagreed with MOT test stations included tyres (12%), visibility (9%), body, chassis and structure (6%) and noise, emissions and leaks (5%). In addition, 92 cars failed on steering, 46 on vehicle identification and 45 on seat belts.
The research also pointed out that while problems with lights are the biggest single cause of a failed test, it is brakes (28%) and tyres (61%) that make up the most dangerous defects, followed by suspension (5%).
A spokesperson for the DVSA said: “The vast majority of MOT testers carry out testing to the highest standards. Our survey targets a random selection of vehicles and is designed to identify any problems with MOT testing so that we can put them right.
“We are delighted to see that standards have improved since the last report. This underlines the importance of DVSA taking action on the survey results and supporting testers with new digital tools, as well as demonstrating the hard work of MOT testers.”
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