MOT Stats


Launched in June 2018, MOT Stats shows stats derived from UK MOT tests. The stats cover a range of vehicles from mopeds to buses. The MOT test data comes from the DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency) Vehicle MOT History Service

The stats show pass rates and most-common fail reasons by vehicle type/make/model/year. There's also a variety of other stats, such as most-popular vehicles, vehicle colours etc.

Re-tests are not counted when calculating the pass rates. This is because most vehicles which fail will be re-tested and passed and would give a false pass rate, showing many more passes than fails, giving the impression that the vehicle has a high pass rate, so the tests considered are "first hit" or "as presented", whether or not the vehicle went on to be re-tested.

Vehicle types

MOT tests cover vehicle classes 1,2,3,4,5,7. Classes 1,2 are mopeds and motorcycles. Classes 3,4,5,7 are cars, vans, motorhomes, trikes, quads, taxis and buses. The stats for all are shown here. We call a motorcycle a "bike", a tricycle a "trike", etc. A Reliant Robin, for example, is actually a trike, simply because it has three wheels. A Piaggio MP3 scooter, on the other hand, has three wheels but is tested as a bike as the two front wheels are less than 460mm apart.

Vehicle models

Vehicle models are shown as they come in from the DVSA. For example, all Ford Focus models come in as Ford Focus. There is no variant shown such as 1.6, Zetec, ST, RS etc. In some ways this is advantageous as it simplifies the display of the stats. In any case, there's nothing we can do about it as all we get is "Ford Focus" so a Ford Focus it is!

Equally (in the case of Mercedes-Benz for example), a model might come in as C-Class or C220, C180K etc. In some cases we will show them all, though this could be confusing, a C220 and C180K both belong in the C-Class, so why are we showing them separately? The site is new, so this is something we will monitor.

Date range

The date range of the tests analysed for the stats is the year to compilation date.

Defect categories

The MOT test changed on May 20th 2018. The most notable difference was the use of defect categories: Dangerous, Major and Minor. Dangerous and Major defects result in a fail. A Minor defect does not result in a fail. Advisories are still shown as before.

You might be wondering about the difference between a minor defect and an advisory. A missing registration plate lamp (where there are more than one) is a minor defect. Brake pads wearing thin, for example, is an advisory. Doesn't seem to be a lot between them in most cases, particularly considering that neither results in a fail. Difficult to see the value of the Minor category.

Same too with Dangerous and Major defects. All stop lamps inoperative is a Dangerous defect. A brake pipe "likely to become detached or damaged" is a Major defect. Which vehicle would you feel safer driving? Both result in a fail.

We don't show stats for Minor defects and advisories. Mainly because we don't feel there's much value in them as neither results in a fail. Do people want to know what a vehicle is likely to get an advisory for? We also don't show them because we want to keep the site as clean and clear as possible. Minor defects could confuse the picture, "is that a fail?", "isn't it?", "what does it mean?". Advisories in any case are almost impossible to collate as a lot of them are free-typed (without the corresponding fail code).

We show the defect category in the most-common fail reasons tables, for completeness as much as anything else.

Fail codes

The fail code is the code you see at the end of a fail reason, either printed on a fail slip or on the DVSA MOT history service website. The code is a reference to the relevant section of the MOT Inspection Manual. Code 1.2.1(f) for example (a binding brake) means section 1 Brakes, 1.2 Brake efficiency, 1.2.1 Brake performance, 1.2.1(f) Binding brake.

We show the fail code in the most-common fail reasons tables, and link it to the online MOT Inspection Manual, just for further reading or reference.

With the changed MOT test on May 20th 2018, Minor defects also have a "fail" code, which again is a reference to the relevant section of the MOT Inspection Manual, though in this case it isn't a fail.

MOT Inspection Manual

The MOT Inspection Manual describes all the items that are tested in a MOT test, and shows which defects are Dangerous, Major or Minor. The manual was completely re-written for the new test of May 20th 2018. It is now web based and is a good point of reference. There are two versions of the manual. You can see them here:

MOT Inspection Manual - Class 1,2 - Bikes

MOT Inspection Manual - Class 3,4,5,7 - Cars, vans etc

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