MOT fail · manual section 1.1.2
Hand lever not releasing correctly and functionality of brakes affected
What this MOT fail means, how often testers record it and what garages charge per hour. 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.
The tester checks the pads, discs, drums, pipes, hoses and warning lamps, and measures the braking effort at each wheel. Wear and corrosion build up gradually, so brake items often appear as advisories before they become fails.
The MOT inspection manual describes the defect (section 1.1.2) as:
Service brake control not releasing correctly and functionality of brakes affected
Read this section of the MOT inspection manual on GOV.UK
| Result | Manual item | DVSA defect text | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fail Major | Hand lever | not releasing correctly and functionality of brakes affected (1.1.2) | 2,534 |
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How common it is by age
Testers record it most at 18 years: 0.005 per 100 MOTs (n=3,261,622 tests at that age).
| Age | Fail per 100 | Tests (n) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 0 | 8,016,463 |
| 4 years | 0 | 8,699,937 |
| 5 years | 0 | 9,425,360 |
| 6 years | 0.001 | 10,382,720 |
| 7 years | 0.001 | 10,537,318 |
| 8 years | 0.001 | 10,440,457 |
| 9 years | 0.002 | 9,949,012 |
| 10 years | 0.003 | 9,049,507 |
| 11 years | 0.002 | 8,087,514 |
| 12 years | 0.003 | 7,303,151 |
| 13 years | 0.002 | 6,612,160 |
| 14 years | 0.003 | 6,054,526 |
| 15 years | 0.004 | 5,591,675 |
| 16 years | 0.004 | 4,858,625 |
| 17 years | 0.004 | 4,040,458 |
| 18 years | 0.005 | 3,261,622 |
| 19 years | 0.005 | 2,479,858 |
| 20 years | 0.004 | 1,845,952 |
| 21 years | 0.004 | 1,321,417 |
| 22 years | 0.004 | 913,980 |
Repair and cost
We do not map this defect to one repair job, because the fix depends on the cause. Garages charge by the hour, so ask for a quote that lists labour time and parts.
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.
Related MOT defects
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened8.74 per 100
- Brake pad(s) wearing thin7.61 per 100
- Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material3.80 per 100
- Brake disc worn, but not excessively2.30 per 100
- Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick1.85 per 100
- Service brake binding but not excessively1.59 per 100
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements1.14 per 100
- Service brake excessively binding0.82 per 100
- Flexible brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule0.78 per 100
- Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively0.69 per 100
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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