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Kick the Tyres

MOT odds · cars 3+ years old

Will my car fail its MOT?Last year has the answer.

Age matters, but how your car's last MOT went matters more. Pick yours below to see the odds, from 52 million real MOTs.

See your odds

The same 10-year-old car, next MOT

  1. Passed, no advisoriesLast year's MOT
    23%
  2. Passed, 3 advisoriesLast year's MOT
    38%
  3. Failed, then fixedLast year's MOT
    38%

Your odds

How likely is a car like yours to fail?

Pick its age and how its last MOT went. Not sure? Check your plate and we'll read its MOT history for you.

How old is your car?
How did its last MOT go?
How many parts had advisories last time?

Count each part once, like tyres, brakes or lights. Your MOT history shows them.

Chance of failing the next MOT

23%

Medium risk

Average 10-year-old car: 31%

From 1.5 million MOTs on cars like this, 2023 to 2025.

Check your own car

What we found

Three things that raise your odds

Age adds a little each year

A car that passed cleanly fails 11% of the time at 4 years old. By 10 it's 23%, and by 15 it's 30%. Parts wear, rubber perishes and rust starts.

Advisories add a lot

Each part flagged last time raises the odds. A 10-year-old car with 3 advisories fails 38% of the time, against 23% with none. See which advisories turn into fails.

A fail last year sticks

Even after it was fixed, a 10-year-old car that failed last time fails 38% of the time at its next MOT. Something else is often close to wearing out too.

Before your MOT

Give it the best chance

  1. Fix last year's advisories

    They're the parts most likely to fail. Cheap ones like bulbs and wipers you can do yourself; get a garage quote for the rest.

  2. Do the home check a few weeks before

    Lights, tyres, wipers and washer fluid catch out lots of cars. The 10-minute home check covers them.

  3. Watch for warning lights

    A dashboard warning light that stays on, like the engine, ABS or airbag light, can fail the car on its own.

  4. Book early

    You can MOT up to a month (minus a day) before it runs out and keep the same renewal date. That leaves time to fix a fail. How early can I MOT my car?

Questions

MOT odds, answered

What are the chances my car will fail its MOT?

About 29% of cars past their first MOT fail. Your own chance depends most on your car's age, how its last MOT went and how many advisories it got. Use the tool above to see the odds for a car like yours.

Are older cars more likely to fail their MOT?

Yes. A car that passed last time with no advisories fails 11% of the time at 4 years old, 23% at 10 and 30% at 15.

Will my car fail because of last year's advisories?

Not always, but the odds go up. A 10-year-old car with advisories on 3 parts last time fails 38% of the time, against 23% with none.

My car failed last year. Is it more likely to fail again?

Yes, even after it was fixed. A 10-year-old car that failed last time fails 38% of the time at its next MOT, against 23% for one that passed.

How can I stop my car failing its MOT?

Fix last year's advisories, check the lights, tyres and wipers yourself a few weeks before, and make sure no warning lights stay on. Book up to a month (minus a day) early and you keep the same renewal date.

Get your own car's odds

We read its MOT history, compare it with cars like it and tell you what to check first. Free, no sign-up.

UK

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results, normal tests on cars in Great Britain, 2023 to 2025: 52 million MOTs on cars aged 4 or more, each compared with the same car's previous MOT. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Kick the Tyres is not linked to DVSA.

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