MOT fail · manual section 5.2.2
Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions
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.
Tyres are checked for tread depth, cuts, bulges, exposed cords and other damage. For a car, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the whole tyre.
The MOT inspection manual describes the defect (section 5.2.2) as:
A tyre not fitted in compliance with the manufacturers sidewall instruction
Read this section of the MOT inspection manual on GOV.UK
| Result | Manual item | DVSA defect text | Records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fail Major | Condition | not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.2) | 83,232 |
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How common it is by age
Testers record it most at 20 years: 0.098 per 100 MOTs (n=1,845,952 tests at that age).
| Age | Fail per 100 | Tests (n) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 0.037 | 8,016,463 |
| 4 years | 0.040 | 8,699,937 |
| 5 years | 0.045 | 9,425,360 |
| 6 years | 0.048 | 10,382,720 |
| 7 years | 0.051 | 10,537,318 |
| 8 years | 0.053 | 10,440,457 |
| 9 years | 0.057 | 9,949,012 |
| 10 years | 0.063 | 9,049,507 |
| 11 years | 0.067 | 8,087,514 |
| 12 years | 0.072 | 7,303,151 |
| 13 years | 0.080 | 6,612,160 |
| 14 years | 0.084 | 6,054,526 |
| 15 years | 0.090 | 5,591,675 |
| 16 years | 0.094 | 4,858,625 |
| 17 years | 0.095 | 4,040,458 |
| 18 years | 0.095 | 3,261,622 |
| 19 years | 0.096 | 2,479,858 |
| 20 years | 0.098 | 1,845,952 |
| 21 years | 0.097 | 1,321,417 |
| 22 years | 0.098 | 913,980 |
| 23 years | 0.096 | 619,531 |
| 24 years | 0.092 | 428,815 |
| 25 years | 0.098 | 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
- Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge18.0 per 100
- Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing8.49 per 100
- Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.40 per 100
- Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.35 per 100
- Tyre has ply or cords exposed1.34 per 100
- Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.31 per 100
- Tyre slightly damaged0.65 per 100
- Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure0.56 per 100
- Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure0.44 per 100
- Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative0.38 per 100
All axles, wheels, tyres and suspension 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