MOT advisory · manual section 6.1.2

Exhaust system has a minor leak of exhaust gases

What this MOT advisory 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 28 September 2026

As an advisory, per 100 MOTs (n=130,233,413)1.92

Most often at22 years

Times recorded2,503,854

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 an advisory: the car passes its MOT, and the tester is warning about the part. An advisory is something the tester noticed that could become a defect later. The car passes its MOT. The advice is to monitor the part and repair it if it gets worse.

When it gets worse, the tester records it as a fail: Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases.

The tester looks at the body and underside for corrosion and damage, especially near the points where suspension, steering and seat belts are mounted, and checks the exhaust, fuel system, drive shafts and towbar.

The tester fails the car when the part reaches the point the MOT inspection manual describes (section 6.1.2):

Exhaust system leaking or insecure

Read this section of the MOT inspection manual on GOV.UK

The DVSA codes counted on this page: the manual item and the defect text as DVSA records them. The heading above joins the two, as a certificate does; the tester also adds the position, such as nearside front.
Result	Manual item	DVSA defect text	Records
Advisory	Exhaust system	has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2)	2,503,854

Got an MOT advisory or defect on a certificate? Paste it into the MOT advisory checker to see what it means.

How common it is by age

Testers record it most at 22 years: 5.63 per 100 MOTs (n=913,980 tests at that age).

Per 100 MOT tests of cars at each age, all makes. We show no figure below 20 tests.
Age	Advisory per 100	Tests (n)
3 years	0.027	8,016,463
4 years	0.074	8,699,937
5 years	0.19	9,425,360
6 years	0.37	10,382,720
7 years	0.58	10,537,318
8 years	0.84	10,440,457
9 years	1.19	9,949,012
10 years	1.59	9,049,507
11 years	2.06	8,087,514
12 years	2.58	7,303,151
13 years	3.11	6,612,160
14 years	3.68	6,054,526
15 years	4.19	5,591,675
16 years	4.58	4,858,625
17 years	4.83	4,040,458
18 years	5.05	3,261,622
19 years	5.25	2,479,858
20 years	5.38	1,845,952
21 years	5.50	1,321,417
22 years	5.63	913,980
23 years	5.55	619,531
24 years	5.41	428,815
25 years	5.30	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 generations with the highest rate as an advisory, against cars of the same ages and fuel. A model’s figure counts this defect only at ages where it is among that model’s 25 most recorded items, and as zero elsewhere, so it is a floor. Tests (n) are all the generation’s MOT tests at ages with at least 1,000 tests each; at least 5,000 in total.
Model	Per 100 MOTs, at least	Same ages and fuel	Times as often	Tests (n)	Ages
Isuzu D-MaxIsuzu D-Max exhaust repair	4.20	0.33	12.6	134,777	3 to 13
Chevrolet CaptivaChevrolet Captiva body and structure problems	9.01	1.39	6.4	25,550	9 to 16
Vauxhall CrosslandVauxhall Crossland exhaust repair	1.20	0.23	5.3	229,410	3 to 8
Vauxhall MokkaVauxhall Mokka exhaust repair	4.49	0.92	4.8	930,592	3 to 12
Toyota ProaceToyota Proace body and structure problems	0.93	0.20	4.6	41,151	3 to 10
Ford Pumafirst used 2019 or later	0.36	0.091	3.9	171,401	3 to 5
Vauxhall ComboVauxhall Combo exhaust repair	3.81	1.07	3.5	423,103	3 to 22
Nissan NavaraNissan Navara exhaust repair	2.52	0.78	3.2	286,820	3 to 21
Citroen C3 AircrossCitroen C3 Aircross body and structure problems	0.85	0.27	3.1	110,010	3 to 7
Isuzu TFIsuzu TF body and structure problems	4.09	1.32	3.1	6,237	11 to 14
Ford EcoSportFord EcoSport exhaust repair	1.81	0.58	3.0	402,494	3 to 11
Nissan PathfinderNissan Pathfinder body and structure problems	6.35	2.10	3.0	23,532	10 to 19
Jeep Compassfirst used 2017 or later	0.63	0.21	2.9	31,820	3 to 7
Chrysler YpsilonChrysler Ypsilon body and structure problems	8.69	3.02	2.8	19,265	8 to 13
Mitsubishi OutlanderMitsubishi Outlander exhaust repair	1.14	0.40	2.8	305,188	3 to 18
Mitsubishi Shogun SportMitsubishi Shogun Sport body and structure problems	9.77	3.50	2.7	18,439	16 to 21
Fiat DobloFiat Doblo exhaust repair Fiat Doblo body and structure problems	3.77	1.37	2.7	190,103	3 to 21
Vauxhall Tigrafirst used 2004 or laterVauxhall Tigra body and structure problems	15.6	5.77	2.7	28,719	13 to 19
Vauxhall InsigniaVauxhall Insignia exhaust repair	2.83	1.04	2.7	834,880	3 to 16
Fiat 500	6.31	2.38	2.6	1,394,433	3 to 17

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Repair and cost

The usual repair is exhaust repair.

Median price (80 shops)£212.09

Middle half of prices£182.35 to £263.41

ONS price quotes for “EXHAUST FITTING FAST FIT”, September 2025 to August 2026, UK, 1,020 quotes from 80 shops. The ONS item is an exhaust fitted at a fast-fit centre; which part of the exhaust is not stated. Consumer prices as quoted.

If a garage also charges labour

Local garage labour, per hour (65 shops)£78

Local garage, middle half£70 to £96

Main dealer labour, per hour (62 shops)£156

Main dealer, middle half£144 to £174

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.

Exhaust repair: cost and the models that need it more often

Related MOT defects

All body, structure and attachments 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 28 September 2026. Prices updated 22 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA or the Office for National Statistics. How we calculate these figures · Data sources