Major defect: the vehicle failsSuspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength
DVSA wording, MOT inspection manual item 5.3.6 (a) (i)
A prescribed area is the manual's term for the bodywork within 30cm of a mounting for the suspension, steering, brakes or seat belts. The tester found rust there bad enough to reduce its strength. This is usually repaired by welding rather than with a new part.
Can it be driven away? Only if its current MOT is still valid and no dangerous problem was listed, and it must still be roadworthy. GOV.UK rule
1 in 179of all MOTs fail on it
0.1%repaired during the test
1 in 7failed on it again at the next MOT
What happened after the fail
Repaired during the test0.1%
Passed a retest within 35 days74%
Not passed within 35 days25%
By age
0102030+ yrs
Highest at 24 years old: 4% of MOTs.
By mileage
0100k200k+ mi
Highest at 200k miles or more: 2% of MOTs.
Models that fail on this more than other cars their age
Mazda 323Other cars its age: 3 in 10011 in 100
Mazda BongoOther cars its age: 2 in 10010 in 100
Mitsubishi SpaceOther cars its age: 2 in 10010 in 100
Suzuki CarryOther cars its age: 2 in 1009 in 100
Rover 45Other cars its age: 2 in 1008 in 100
Daihatsu TeriosOther cars its age: 2 in 1008 in 100
Nissan FigaroOther cars its age: 2 in 1007 in 100
Jaguar X-TypeOther cars its age: 2 in 1006 in 100
22 more models
Chevrolet LacettiOther cars its age: 0.8 in 1006 in 100
Chevrolet KalosOther cars its age: 1 in 1006 in 100
Alfa Romeo GTOther cars its age: 1 in 1006 in 100
Honda FR-VOther cars its age: 1 in 1004 in 100
Fiat ScudoOther cars its age: 1 in 1004 in 100
LDV MaxusOther cars its age: 1 in 1004 in 100
Ford KAOther cars its age: 0.5 in 1004 in 100
Chevrolet MatizOther cars its age: 0.9 in 1004 in 100
Alfa Romeo 159Other cars its age: 0.8 in 1003 in 100
Ford TransitOther cars its age: 0.4 in 1003 in 100
Citroen RelayOther cars its age: 0.3 in 1002 in 100
Peugeot ExpertOther cars its age: 0.4 in 1001 in 100
SEAT AlhambraOther cars its age: 0.4 in 1001 in 100
Mazda 6Other cars its age: 0.4 in 1001 in 100
Nissan NavaraOther cars its age: 0.4 in 1001 in 100
Toyota AygoOther cars its age: 0.3 in 1001 in 100
Ford PumaOther cars its age: 0.3 in 1001 in 100
Alfa Romeo GiuliettaOther cars its age: 0.2 in 1000.8 in 100
SsangYong RodiusOther cars its age: 0.1 in 1000.7 in 100
MG ZSOther cars its age: 0.2 in 1000.5 in 100
Ford TourneoOther cars its age: 0.0 in 1000.2 in 100
Nissan LeafOther cars its age: 0.0 in 1000.1 in 100
Out of every 100 MOTs on each model. Models with 20,000 or more MOTs, well above other cars their age, highest first.
Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs,
20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its
retests count as one MOT.
About other vehicles, not a prediction for yours: for what to do,
ask a garage. Spotted a mistake? Email
fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.