Yes, if a wheel bearing has excessive play or is excessively rough. A bearing so worn it's likely to collapse or break up is a dangerous defect.
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 wheel bearing with excessive play | FailsMajor |
| A wheel bearing play so excessive it is likely to break up or directional control impaired | FailsDangerous |
| A wheel bearing excessively rough | FailsMajor |
| A wheel bearing likely to collapse | FailsDangerous |
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, 126,594 car MOTs failed on a wheel bearing: 0.40%, or about 1 in 250. 9% of those failures were for a dangerous defect. Testers also noted it as an advisory on 202,132 MOTs: something to keep an eye on that didn't fail the test.
Share of the MOTs that failed on a wheel bearing. One MOT can fail for more than one reason.
Share of car MOTs in each mileage band that failed on a wheel bearing.
1.37% of MOTs on cars registered in 2005 failed on a wheel bearing, against 0.03% for cars registered in 2022.
Models that failed on a wheel bearing at least 1.15 times as often as the average car of the same age and mileage, out of 87 with at least 30 MOTs failed on it.
Least often: Honda CR-V (0.1×), Volvo XC60 (0.2×), BMW X1 (0.2×), Toyota RAV4 (0.2×), Range Rover (0.2×).
Yes, if it has play or is rough
In 2025, 126,594 car MOTs failed on a wheel bearing, about 1 in 250. 9% of those were rated dangerous.
1 in 250car MOTs failed on a wheel bearing in 2025
Yes, if a wheel bearing has excessive play or is excessively rough. A bearing so worn it's likely to collapse or break up is a dangerous defect.
In 2025, 126,594 car MOTs failed on a wheel bearing: 0.40%, or about 1 in 250. 9% of those failures were for a dangerous defect.
Against the average car of the same age and mileage, the MG ZS (11.5 times as often), Toyota Yaris (3.5 times as often) and Peugeot 208 (3.2 times as often), going by 2025 MOT results.