An MOT is a simple test of roadworthiness and every single car driving on UK roads needs to pass it - if your car doesn't pass you cannot drive it.
It costs to have an MOT done and the maximum that can be charged for the average car is £54.85 or £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.
If your car fails the MOT it is usually free for a retest if you have the work done within 10 working days of failing however in some other cases, you may need to pay the MOT fee again.
According to an analysis of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) MOT database by One Sure Insurance almost one in five MOTS in the UK result in failure.
To help drivers, insurance firm One Sure has compiled a list of the most common reasons why vehicles fail their MOT.
Taking first place as the most common reason for a car to fail its MOT are worn or damaged tyres.
Across all four tyres, poor condition, or not meeting the legal requirement of at least 1.6mm of tread depth contributed to 1,101,839 MOT failures across the UK in a single year according to the DVLA data.
In second place, and the cause of around 1,069,069 MOT failures, are damaged coil springs.
These are located in your car's suspension and the would piece of metal absorbs road impacts.
A broken coil causes misalignment and causes parts to scrape or knock against each other - causing your vehicle to sway or bounce more than usual.
Headlamp aim is another common reason for MOT failures accounting for 806,993 of them.
Headlamp aim may sound a funny one but if it is incorrect - so either too high or too low - it can impact visibility not just for the driver but other users on the road.
Faulty windscreen wipers take fourth place, having caused 778,244 MOT failures, with almost every case of failure being down to the wipers not clearing the windscreen effectively.
In fifth place is dodgy position lamps - known more commonly as sidelights - which have caused 759,032 MOT failures.
These lights are used to indicate the size and the position of a car, and are used to indicate to other road users if you're car has stopped or is parked.
Brake pads take sixth place, being the cause of 674,986 MOT failures.
The leading cause of failure within this category is almost entirely brake pads being less than 1.5mm thick.
Excessively worn pins and bushes have caused 632,061 MOT failures.
Bushes act as small protective pads fitted to various parts of the suspension system, and pins – sometimes known as swivel pins, or kingpins – are the main pivot in the steering of your vehicle.
Ball joints allow suspension movement which maximizes the tyre’s contact with the road providing optimum vehicle control and tire wear. They also take the eighth spot on the list, having caused 620,900 MOT failures.
Most original equipment ball joints are designed as sealed units and if the protective boot fails, water and road debris will quickly cause wear and ball joint failure.
Ninth place goes to service brake performance, which can be known as the braking system in your car.
Inadequate service brake performance has resulted in 615,329 MOT failures.
Taking the final spot on the list, in tenth place, are issues with the rigid brake pipes which caused 522,429 MOT failures.
These pipes are used to transfer pressurised brake fluid from the master cylinder to the brake hoses and can easily be corroded.
10 common reasons for MOT failures
- Worn or damaged tyres - 1,101,839 MOT failures
- Coil springs - 1,069,069 MOT failures
- Headlamp aim - 806,993 MOT failures
- Windscreen wipers - 778,244 MOT failures
- Position lamps - 759,032 MOT failures.
- Brake pads - 674,986 MOT failures
- Pins and bushes - 632,061 MOT failures
- Ball joints - 620,900 MOT failures
- Service brake performance - 615,329 MOT failures
- Rigid brake pipes - 522,429 MOT failures
