MOT fail · manual section 7.1.6
Airbag (SRS) warning lamp indicates a fault
What this MOT fail means, how often testers record it and what the usual repair costs. From 130,233,413 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
Times recorded adds every DVSA code with this wording, so a test can record it more than once, for example on two wheels under separate codes.
What it means
This is a major defect: the car fails its MOT. A major defect may affect the car’s safety, put other road users at risk or harm the environment. The car fails its MOT and the defect must be repaired.
Before it reaches this point, testers often record it as an advisory: Airbag (SRS) warning lamp does not illuminate.
Seat belts are checked for condition, security and operation, and the airbag and seat belt warning lamps are checked too.
The MOT inspection manual describes the defect (section 7.1.6) as:
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
Read this section of the MOT inspection manual on GOV.UK
| Result | Manual item | DVSA defect text | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fail Major | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6) | 612,165 |
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How common it is by age
Testers record it most at 20 years: 1.44 per 100 MOTs (n=1,845,952 tests at that age).
| Age | Fail per 100 | Tests (n) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 0.12 | 8,016,463 |
| 4 years | 0.13 | 8,699,937 |
| 5 years | 0.14 | 9,425,360 |
| 6 years | 0.16 | 10,382,720 |
| 7 years | 0.20 | 10,537,318 |
| 8 years | 0.24 | 10,440,457 |
| 9 years | 0.30 | 9,949,012 |
| 10 years | 0.39 | 9,049,507 |
| 11 years | 0.47 | 8,087,514 |
| 12 years | 0.54 | 7,303,151 |
| 13 years | 0.60 | 6,612,160 |
| 14 years | 0.71 | 6,054,526 |
| 15 years | 0.83 | 5,591,675 |
| 16 years | 1.00 | 4,858,625 |
| 17 years | 1.18 | 4,040,458 |
| 18 years | 1.32 | 3,261,622 |
| 19 years | 1.39 | 2,479,858 |
| 20 years | 1.44 | 1,845,952 |
| 21 years | 1.36 | 1,321,417 |
| 22 years | 1.28 | 913,980 |
| 23 years | 1.19 | 619,531 |
| 24 years | 1.05 | 428,815 |
| 25 years | 0.94 | 313,355 |
Models that get it most
Each model generation is compared with cars of the same ages and fuel, so older and diesel models are not penalised for their age or fuel. Generations are never pooled.
| Model | Per 100 MOTs, at least | Same ages and fuel | Times as often | Tests (n) | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEAT Tarraco | 2.35 | 0.14 | 16.4 | 30,698 | 3 to 6 |
| SsangYong Rodius | 4.03 | 0.26 | 15.4 | 8,586 | 5 to 9 |
| Mercedes-Benz X-Class | 2.09 | 0.17 | 11.9 | 14,314 | 3 to 7 |
| MG 3MG 3 airbag warning light repair | 1.80 | 0.16 | 11.2 | 81,125 | 3 to 11 |
| SEAT MiiSEAT Mii airbag warning light repair | 1.47 | 0.23 | 6.3 | 72,945 | 3 to 13 |
| Cupra Formentor | 0.58 | 0.10 | 5.4 | 21,857 | 3 to 4 |
| Nissan NV200Nissan NV200 airbag warning light repair | 2.03 | 0.37 | 5.4 | 122,396 | 3 to 15 |
| SsangYong Rexton | 1.22 | 0.23 | 5.2 | 9,823 | 3 to 9 |
| Hyundai Matrix | 4.91 | 1.03 | 4.7 | 13,930 | 14 to 20 |
| Mercedes-Benz A-ClassMercedes-Benz A-Class airbag warning light repair | 1.47 | 0.32 | 4.5 | 1,360,594 | 3 to 23 |
| Mercedes-Benz CLAMercedes-Benz CLA airbag warning light repair | 0.92 | 0.21 | 4.4 | 243,385 | 3 to 12 |
| Chevrolet Lacetti | 3.16 | 0.76 | 4.1 | 8,136 | 13 to 17 |
| Hyundai Veloster | 1.43 | 0.36 | 3.9 | 10,010 | 9 to 13 |
| MG ZT | 5.43 | 1.42 | 3.8 | 7,721 | 18 to 21 |
| Isuzu TF | 2.65 | 0.70 | 3.7 | 6,237 | 11 to 14 |
| Mercedes-Benz Viano | 3.23 | 0.89 | 3.6 | 20,403 | 9 to 19 |
| BMW i3 | 0.35 | 0.099 | 3.5 | 85,743 | 3 to 11 |
| Nissan Primera | 4.33 | 1.27 | 3.4 | 11,060 | 17 to 22 |
| Nissan QashqaiNissan Qashqai airbag warning light repair | 1.21 | 0.36 | 3.3 | 2,264,112 | 3 to 18 |
| Chevrolet Captiva | 2.42 | 0.73 | 3.3 | 25,550 | 9 to 16 |
Repair and cost
The usual repair is airbag warning light repair.
No public source records the price of this whole job, and the time it takes varies from car to car, so we do not publish a single figure. Garages charge by the hour, so ask for a quote that lists labour time and parts. The rates below are what UK garages charge per hour.
The warning light or emissions reading is only the symptom. What the repair costs depends on what the diagnosis finds, so treat any figure as the starting point, not the full fix.
Median hourly rate charged for car repairs, from 1,058 local garage and 953 main dealer price quotes collected by the ONS, September 2025 to August 2026. The same shops are priced each month, so the number of shops is the real sample.
Airbag warning light repair: cost and the models that need it more often
Related MOT defects
- Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed0.24 per 100
- Seat belt prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced0.18 per 100
- Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended0.11 per 100
- Seat belt prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive0.096 per 100
- Seat belt buckle slightly damaged0.094 per 100
- Seat belt not functioning as intended0.083 per 100
- Seat belt slightly damaged0.072 per 100
- Seat belt retracting mechanism defective0.037 per 100
- Seat belt buckle missing0.028 per 100
- Seat belt webbing significantly weakened0.022 per 100
All other equipment defects All MOT defects Car repair costs
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Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025, and the MOT inspection manual published on GOV.UK. Prices: ONS consumer price inflation price quotes, September 2025 to August 2026, UK.
MOT data updated . Prices updated .
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA or the Office for National Statistics. How we calculate these figures · Data sources