MOT defects

Steering: 77 MOT defect wordings

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 130,233,413 MOT tests · Updated 7 Oct 2026

77 steering defect wordings were recorded 5,807,431 times in 130,233,413 MOT tests from 2022 to 2025 ^[1].

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All steering wordings

Every wording in this section, most recorded first. Per 100 MOT tests at all ages.
Wording	Recorded as	Per 100 MOT tests
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play	fail	1.05
Track rod end ball joint has slight play	advisory	1.00
Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt	minor defect	0.65
Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.27
Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.20
Steering has slight free play detected at steering wheel	advisory	0.17
Power steering component has slight seepage from a component	advisory	0.12
Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt	minor defect	0.084
Power steering pipe or hose slightly corroded	advisory	0.082
Power steering pipe or hose has slight seepage	advisory	0.081
Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.076
Steering linkage component has slight play	advisory	0.072
Track rod end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment	fail	0.064
Steering linkage component has excessive play	fail	0.040
Drag link end ball joint has slight play	advisory	0.040
Power steering fluid level below minimum	minor defect	0.034
Steering has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted)	fail	0.034
Universal joint has slight wear or play	advisory	0.033
Steering column top bearing slightly worn	advisory	0.024
Power steering component leaking	fail	0.023
Steering linkage component ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt	minor defect	0.022
Power steering pump has slight seepage	advisory	0.020
Power steering pipe or hose leaking	fail	0.019
Steering gear slightly rough	advisory	0.019
Power steering malfunctioning	fail	0.017
Drag link end ball joint has excessive play	fail	0.016
Steering box leaking oil	minor defect	0.016
Electronic power steering warning lamp indicates a system malfunction	fail	0.015
Power steering ram has slight seepage from a joint	advisory	0.012
Steering linkage component ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.009
Steering linkage locking device missing	fail	0.009
Steering lock not functioning	minor defect	0.007
Power steering inoperative and steering adversely affected	fail	0.007
Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt	minor defect	0.007
Power steering inoperative	fail	0.006
Power steering fluid reservoir empty	fail	0.006
Track rod end slightly misaligned	advisory	0.006
Steering linkage locking device ineffective	fail	0.005
Universal joint has excessive wear or play	fail	0.005
Steering has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel to the extent that safe steering is affected (steering rack fitted)	fail	0.005
Steering gear excessively rough	fail	0.005
Steering linkage component worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment	fail	0.004
Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.004
Track rod end seriously misaligned	fail	0.004
Power steering pipe or hose slightly damaged	advisory	0.003
Steering wheel has movement relative to the column indicating looseness	fail	0.003
Power steering ram leaking	fail	0.003
Steering linkage component ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.003
Power steering pump leaking	fail	0.003
Electronic power steering not working	fail	0.003
Steering arm deformed but serviceable	advisory	0.003
Steering column has excessive movement up and down	fail	0.003
Power steering pipe or hose excessively corroded	fail	0.003
Track rod end modification unsafe	fail	0.003
Steering prescribed area is excessively corroded	fail	0.002
Steering arm deformed	fail	0.002
Steering rack insecure	fail	0.002
Steering rack insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings	fail	0.002
Steering box slight play between sector shaft and the drop arm	advisory	0.002
Drag link end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	fail	0.002
Track rod end modified, but not inappropriately	advisory	0.002
Steering column attachment defective	fail	0.002
Steering prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive	advisory	0.002
Steering has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering box fitted)	fail	0.001
Track rod end ball joint dust cover missing	fail	0.001
Steering wheel has excessive movement up and down	fail	0.001
Steering column top bearing excessively worn	fail	0.001
Universal joint insecure	fail	0.001
Flexible coupling is slightly deteriorated	advisory	0.001
Steering column deformed but serviceable	advisory	0.001
Steering arm deformed to the extent that steering is affected	fail	0.001
Steering box leaking to the extent that oil is dripping	fail	0.001
Steering gear fouling	fail	0.001
Steering linkage insecure to the extent there is excessive movement at the mountings	fail	0.001
Power steering component insecure	fail	under 0.001
Steering linkage likely to become detached	fail	under 0.001
Drag link end ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment	fail	under 0.001

Was it on the record of the car you are looking at?

These figures are for every car tested. One car's MOT history, by registration, lists each advisory and fail item its testers recorded, and when.

Check any car's MOT history Every MOT test, fail item, advisory and mileage reading DVSA holds for that registration.
MOT advisory checker Paste an advisory or defect to read DVSA's wording, its grade and what tends to happen at the next MOT.

Other sections

Questions people ask

Which steering defect do testers record most?

1.05 in 100 MOT tests record “Track rod end ball joint has excessive play”, the most recorded wording in this section (130,233,413 MOT tests).

How many steering wordings are fails?

50 of the 77 wordings here are fails (major or dangerous defects); the others are advisories and minor defects, which pass.

Which steering advisory most often turns into a fail?

16.2% of track rod end advisories were followed by a fail on it at the next MOT, against 1.9% for cars the same ages without one.

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Sources

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 130,233,413 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Rates are per 100 MOT tests of class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) at each age. Model comparisons are against all class 4 vehicles of the same ages and fuel, pooled over 2022 to 2025 tests: they are not matched on test year or on mileage. Advisory figures count pairs of consecutive MOT tests of the same vehicle: "next MOT" means its next test 300 to 500 days (about 10 to 16 months) later, and the no-advisory comparison is standardised to the advised vehicles' age bands. Repairs between MOTs and breakdowns are not in this data. How we compare