Yes, if it stays on to show a fault, or doesn't light up at all when the ignition is switched on. The tester checks that it comes on and then goes off. It's checked on petrol cars first used from 1 July 2003 and diesels from 1 July 2008.
Testers grade each defect: a major or dangerous defect fails the MOT, a minor one passes but is written on the certificate.
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction | FailsMajor |
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction | FailsMajor |
From DVSA's MOT inspection manual for cars and passenger vehicles. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In 2025, 466,296 car MOTs failed on the engine management light: 1.48%, or about 1 in 67.
Share of the MOTs that failed on the engine management light. One MOT can fail for more than one reason.
Share of car MOTs in each mileage band that failed on the engine management light.
2.81% of MOTs on cars registered in 2005 failed on the engine management light, against 0.27% for cars registered in 2022.
Models that failed on the engine management light at least 1.15 times as often as the average car of the same age and mileage, out of 95 with at least 30 MOTs failed on it.
Least often: Suzuki Vitara (0.2×), Kia Niro (0.3×), Toyota RAV4 (0.3×), Volvo XC90 (0.4×), Toyota Corolla (0.4×).
Yes, if it shows a fault
In 2025, 466,296 car MOTs failed on the engine management light, about 1 in 67.
1 in 67car MOTs failed on the engine management light in 2025
Yes, if it stays on to show a fault, or doesn't light up at all when the ignition is switched on. The tester checks that it comes on and then goes off. It's checked on petrol cars first used from 1 July 2003 and diesels from 1 July 2008.
In 2025, 466,296 car MOTs failed on the engine management light: 1.48%, or about 1 in 67.
Against the average car of the same age and mileage, the Jaguar E-Pace (2.4 times as often), Range Rover Velar (2.2 times as often) and Vauxhall Corsa (2.0 times as often), going by 2025 MOT results.