MOT fail · manual section 7.1.1
Seat belt anchorage loose
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.
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 7.1.1) as:
A seat belt anchorage loose
Read this section of the MOT inspection manual on GOV.UK
| Result | Manual item | DVSA defect text | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fail Major | Attachment | anchorage loose (7.1.1) | 7,243 |
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How common it is by age
Testers record it most at 24 years: 0.026 per 100 MOTs (n=428,815 tests at that age).
| Age | Fail per 100 | Tests (n) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 0.002 | 8,016,463 |
| 4 years | 0.002 | 8,699,937 |
| 5 years | 0.002 | 9,425,360 |
| 6 years | 0.003 | 10,382,720 |
| 7 years | 0.003 | 10,537,318 |
| 8 years | 0.003 | 10,440,457 |
| 9 years | 0.004 | 9,949,012 |
| 10 years | 0.004 | 9,049,507 |
| 11 years | 0.005 | 8,087,514 |
| 12 years | 0.006 | 7,303,151 |
| 13 years | 0.007 | 6,612,160 |
| 14 years | 0.008 | 6,054,526 |
| 15 years | 0.008 | 5,591,675 |
| 16 years | 0.010 | 4,858,625 |
| 17 years | 0.011 | 4,040,458 |
| 18 years | 0.013 | 3,261,622 |
| 19 years | 0.013 | 2,479,858 |
| 20 years | 0.016 | 1,845,952 |
| 21 years | 0.015 | 1,321,417 |
| 22 years | 0.018 | 913,980 |
| 23 years | 0.022 | 619,531 |
| 24 years | 0.026 | 428,815 |
| 25 years | 0.026 | 313,355 |
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
- Airbag (SRS) warning lamp indicates a fault0.47 per 100
- 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
- Airbag (SRS) warning lamp does not illuminate0.039 per 100
- Seat belt retracting mechanism defective0.037 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