Tread shallower than 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its whole circumference, a cut deep enough to show the cords, a lump, bulge or tear, a tyre fouling part of the car, or tyres of different structure (such as radial and cross-ply) on the same axle.
Testers grade each defect: a major or dangerous defect fails the MOT, a minor one passes but is written on the certificate.
| Defect | Result |
|---|---|
| A tyre load capacity or speed rating not in accordance with the minimum requirements | FailsMajor |
| A tyre load capacity insufficient for axle presented weight | FailsDangerous |
| Tyres on the same axle or on twin wheels are different sizes | FailsMajor |
| Tyres on the same axle of different structure | FailsMajor |
| A tyre with a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | FailsMajor |
| A tyre with a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure, including any lifting of the tread rubber or with cords exposed or damaged | FailsDangerous |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | FailsDangerous |
| A tyre fouling a part of the vehicle | FailsMajor |
| A recut tyre fitted to a vehicle not permitted to be fitted with recut tyres | FailsMajor |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously not working | FailsMajor |
| A tyre not fitted in compliance with the manufacturer’s sidewall instructions | FailsMajor |
| A tyre valve seriously damaged or misaligned likely to cause sudden deflation of the tyre | FailsDangerous |
| A tyre incorrectly seated on the wheel rim | FailsMajor |
| Tyre obviously under-inflated | PassesMinor |
| A tyre over ten years old is fitted to a front steered axle of a bus, coach, or any axle on a minibus with a single wheel fitment | FailsDangerous |
| A date code illegible on a tyre fitted to a rear axle of a bus or coach | PassesMinor |
| A date code illegible or not visible on a tyre fitted to a front steered axle of a bus or coach or any axle on a minibus with a single wheel fitment | 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, 1,984,532 car MOTs failed on tyres: 6.30%, or about 1 in 16. 72% of those failures were for a dangerous defect. Another 47,147 MOTs recorded it as a minor defect, which passes. Testers also noted it as an advisory on 7,179,071 MOTs: something to keep an eye on that didn't fail the test.
Share of the MOTs that failed on tyres. One MOT can fail for more than one reason.
Share of car MOTs in each mileage band that failed on tyres.
6.42% of MOTs on cars registered in 2005 failed on tyres, against 5.04% for cars registered in 2022.
Models that failed on tyres at least 1.15 times as often as the average car of the same age and mileage, out of 101 with at least 30 MOTs failed on it.
Least often: Land Rover Defender (0.4×), Mazda MX-5 (0.6×), Mazda CX-5 (0.6×), Jaguar F-Pace (0.6×), Toyota RAV4 (0.7×).
Tread under 1.6mm, cuts or bulges
In 2025, 1,984,532 car MOTs failed on tyres, about 1 in 16. 72% of those were rated dangerous.
1 in 16car MOTs failed on tyres in 2025
47,147minor defects recorded in 2025, which pass
Tread shallower than 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its whole circumference, a cut deep enough to show the cords, a lump, bulge or tear, a tyre fouling part of the car, or tyres of different structure (such as radial and cross-ply) on the same axle.
In 2025, 1,984,532 car MOTs failed on tyres: 6.30%, or about 1 in 16. 72% of those failures were for a dangerous defect.
Against the average car of the same age and mileage, the Tesla Model Y (2.1 times as often), Tesla Model 3 (2.0 times as often) and Renault Kadjar (1.4 times as often), going by 2025 MOT results.