MOT cost .

Failure category

Brakes

Pads, discs, pipes, fluid, handbrake travel, brake balance. Anything in the braking circuit that fails inspection.

Defect codes

103

Total fails

1,413,370

Defect codes in this category, ranked.

Sorted by total cars affected last year. Click any row for the full defect description plus the models most at risk.

  1. 01

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    1022 models affected

    626,711
  2. 02

    Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

    322 models affected

    339,904
  3. 03

    Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    436 models affected

    236,438
  4. 04

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    254 models affected

    92,270
  5. 05

    Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn

    364 models affected

    43,139
  6. 06

    Parking brake inoperative on one side

    104 models affected

    28,569
  7. 07

    Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value

    95 models affected

    24,042
  8. 08

    Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm

    279 models affected

    5,212
  9. 09

    Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    103 models affected

    4,711
  10. 10

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    215 models affected

    2,955
  11. 11

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    121 models affected

    1,605
  12. 12

    Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    5 models affected

    1,465
  13. 13

    Brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    128 models affected

    1,371
  14. 14

    Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment

    22 models affected

    1,222
  15. 15

    A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched

    9 models affected

    1,081
  16. 16

    Brake control has insufficient reserve travel

    47 models affected

    602
  17. 17

    A brake lining or pad contaminated with oil, grease etc

    54 models affected

    340
  18. 18

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    40 models affected

    297
  19. 19

    Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn

    44 models affected

    296
  20. 20

    Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing, loose or worn smooth

    23 models affected

    236
  21. 21

    Brake control has insufficient reserve travel

    30 models affected

    181
  22. 22

    A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded

    5 models affected

    80
  23. 23

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    19 models affected

    72
  24. 24

    Brake fluid below minimum mark

    18 models affected

    64
  25. 25

    Brake performance unable to be tested

    10 models affected

    63
  26. 26

    Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative

    10 models affected

    56
  27. 27

    Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative

    14 models affected

    47
  28. 28

    A service brake control has insufficient reserve travel

    11 models affected

    44
  29. 29

    Brake fluid contaminated

    9 models affected

    24
  30. 30

    Brake fluid below minimum mark

    10 models affected

    22
  31. 31

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    6 models affected

    21
  32. 32

    Brake pipe inadequately clipped or supported

    4 models affected

    13
  33. 33

    A flexible brake hose excessively chafed, damaged, deteriorated, twisted or stretched

    1 models affected

    11
  34. 34

    Flexible brake hose excessively damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched

    8 models affected

    11
  35. 35

    Brake pipe inadequately clipped or supported

    5 models affected

    10
  36. 36

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    3 models affected

    10
  37. 37

    Electronic parking brake MIL indicates a malfunction

    4 models affected

    8
  38. 38

    Brake calliper or cylinder leaking and braking performance not affected

    4 models affected

    8
  39. 39

    Brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    5 models affected

    7
  40. 40

    Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative

    1 models affected

    7
  41. 41

    Master cylinder defective but brake still operating

    3 models affected

    6
  42. 42

    Brake lining or pad missing or incorrectly mounted

    3 models affected

    6
  43. 43

    Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm

    2 models affected

    6
  44. 44

    Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing, loose or worn smooth

    2 models affected

    5
  45. 45

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    4 models affected

    5
  46. 46

    Flexible brake hose excessively damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched

    1 models affected

    5
  47. 47

    Brake control not releasing correctly so that the functionality of brakes affected

    2 models affected

    5
  48. 48

    Brake fluid significantly below minimum mark

    2 models affected

    5
  49. 49

    a brake lining or pad contaminated with oil, grease etc

    2 models affected

    4
  50. 50

    Brake control so positioned, bent or shortened that the brake cannot be readily applied.

    3 models affected

    4
  51. 51

    Brake fluid not visible

    2 models affected

    4
  52. 52

    Brake hoses or connections leaking

    2 models affected

    4
  53. 53

    Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    4 models affected

    4
  54. 54

    Brake performance unable to be tested

    3 models affected

    4
  55. 55

    Brake calliper or cylinder insecure or inadequately mounted and braking performance not affected

    1 models affected

    3
  56. 56

    Leaking brake pipe or connection on a hydraulic system

    1 models affected

    3
  57. 57

    Brake lining or pad missing or incorrectly mounted

    3 models affected

    3
  58. 58

    Excessive oil discharge from a compressor or brake valve

    1 models affected

    3
  59. 59

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    2 models affected

    3
  60. 60

    Brake calliper or cylinder insecure or inadequately mounted and braking performance affected

    2 models affected

    3
  61. 61

    Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative

    1 models affected

    2
  62. 62

    Brake fluid significantly below minimum mark

    2 models affected

    2
  63. 63

    Brake calliper or cylinder insecure or inadequately mounted and braking performance not affected

    1 models affected

    2
  64. 64

    Brake calliper or cylinder has excessive travel of operating system indicating need for adjustment

    2 models affected

    2
  65. 65

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    1 models affected

    2
  66. 66

    Brake fluid significantly below minimum mark

    2 models affected

    2
  67. 67

    Flexible brake hose excessively damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched

    1 models affected

    2
  68. 68

    Brake control so positioned, bent or shortened that the brake cannot be readily applied.

    1 models affected

    2
  69. 69

    Brake control not releasing correctly

    2 models affected

    2
  70. 70

    Brake lining or pad missing or incorrectly mounted

    1 models affected

    2
  71. 71

    Brake lining or pad missing or incorrectly mounted

    1 models affected

    2
  72. 72

    Parking brake control missing, defective or inoperative

    1 models affected

    2
  73. 73

    Brake performance unable to be tested

    2 models affected

    2
  74. 74

    Brake fluid below minimum mark

    2 models affected

    2
  75. 75

    Brake calliper or cylinder insecure or inadequately mounted and braking performance affected

    1 models affected

    2
  76. 76

    Leaking brake pipe or connection on a hydraulic system

    1 models affected

    2
  77. 77

    Brake fluid significantly below minimum mark

    2 models affected

    2
  78. 78

    Brake calliper or cylinder insecure or inadequately mounted and braking performance not affected

    1 models affected

    1
  79. 79

    Leaking brake pipe or connection

    1 models affected

    1
  80. 80

    Brake pipe excessively damaged or excessively corroded

    1 models affected

    1
  81. 81

    Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured

    1 models affected

    1
  82. 82

    Brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    1 models affected

    1
  83. 83

    Service brake control not releasing correctly and functionality of brakes affected

    1 models affected

    1
  84. 84

    Brake hoses or connections leaking on air brake systems

    1 models affected

    1
  85. 85

    Service brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel

    1 models affected

    1
  86. 86

    Brake hose damaged and likely to fail

    1 models affected

    1
  87. 87

    Brake pipe is at imminent risk of failure or fracture

    1 models affected

    1
  88. 88

    Brake fluid contaminated

    1 models affected

    1
  89. 89

    Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value

    1 models affected

    1
  90. 90

    Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing, loose or worn smooth

    1 models affected

    1
  91. 91

    Parking brake lever pivot or ratchet mechanism obviously worn

    1 models affected

    1
  92. 92

    Brake performance unable to be tested

    1 models affected

    1
  93. 93

    Brake pipe is at imminent risk of failure or fracture

    1 models affected

    1
  94. 94

    Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded

    1 models affected

    1
  95. 95

    Flexible brake hose excessively damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched

    1 models affected

    1
  96. 96

    Brake efficiency below minimum requirement

    1 models affected

    1
  97. 97

    Brake efficiency less than 27.5% overall

    1 models affected

    1
  98. 98

    Flexible brake hose excessively damaged, chafed, twisted or stretched

    1 models affected

    1
  99. 99

    Brake lining or pad missing or incorrectly mounted

    1 models affected

    1
  100. 100

    Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake

    1 models affected

    1
  101. 101

    Brake control not releasing correctly

    1 models affected

    1
  102. 102

    Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing, loose or worn smooth

    1 models affected

    1
  103. 103

    Brake servo inoperative

    1 models affected

    1

Brands most affected.

Total category-fails across each manufacturer's tested fleet. High-volume brands naturally lead — read alongside their model pass-rates.

No. 01

Ford

208,465

No. 02

Vauxhall

140,722

No. 03

Mercedes Benz

99,742

No. 04

Volkswagen

84,333

No. 05

Nissan

71,138

No. 06

Toyota

67,776

No. 07

Renault

64,753

No. 08

Hyundai

63,990