- New data reveals the number of vans that fail the initial MOT
- Stats gained via Select Van Leasing Freedom of Information request
- Thirty-six percent of LCVS failed an MOT in the past year
- Defects with lamps, reflectors or electrical equipment are the common reason for failure
MORE than a third of vans and pick-ups submitted for an MOT in the past year FAILED their initial test, according to new research.
That’s according to a study conducted by Select Van Leasing into the annual UK vehicle check-up.
Around 36% of light commercial vehicles failed their initial test in a 12-month period between 2023 and 2024.
That’s significantly higher than the 28% initial failure rate recorded by the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) for cars, passenger vehicles and vans as a whole between 2023 and 2024.
Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Van Leasing, said the data uncovered by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the DVSA lays bare the importance of regular vehicle maintenance in order to improve standards.
He said: “It’s eye-opening to see much higher rates of initial MOT failures for vans compared with typical passenger vehicles and our stats highlight the need for improved standards. By their very nature, light commercial vehicles need to work hard for the businesses they serve and must stand up to the rigours of constant use. With all that in mind, it’s vital vans are either maintained to high standards or replaced when age catches up with them.”
The FOI data reveals that of the nearly 2.5 million ‘class 4’ vans presented for an MOT in a 12-month period, over 890,000 failed the initial test – which amounts to 36% of those submitted.
These vehicles have failed the initial test due to one or more defects. Class 4 vans include panel vans, pick-ups and car-derived vans. A Class 4 MOT test is also the standard MOT test for most vehicles with up to eight passenger seats, including common cars, but the Select Van Leasing data revealed here focuses on light commercial vehicles.
Of the nearly 890,000 vans that failed the MOT test, 47% of these failures were due to problems with ‘lamps, reflectors or electrical equipment’. Luton vans are most often failed in this category, with a 66 percent failure rate. Box vans also have a very high failure rate in this category at 57 percent.
Around 34% of initial MOT failures were linked to problems with the van’s suspension.
MOT failures linked to problematic brakes made up 28% of van failures overall.
Meanwhile issues with a van’s ‘body, chassis or structure’ accounted for 18% of MOT initial failures, ahead of worn-out tyres at 17%.
Mr. Conway added: “Heavy payloads place extra stress on van components while increasing stopping distances. So, with that in mind, it’s worrying to see high numbers of van MOT initial failures linked to brakes or suspension defects.
“I’d urge all business owners or van drivers to pay close attention to potential problems as soon as they arise - such as poor handling or the vehicle pulling to one side when the brakes are deployed – rather than waiting for the issues to be highlighted during the annual MOT check.
“In particular, faulty brakes and tyres can significantly increase the risks of accidents and injury.”
The Select Van Leasing data reveals that Ford Transit Custom van (below) – the UK’s best-stelling light commercial vehicle - has the lowest initial failure rate*, with 78 percent of vehicles passing the initial MOT test. Of the 125,000 vehicles that were tested in 12 months, just 27,169 were failed initially.
Peugeot Boxers, Fiat Ducatos and Nissan NV300s (no longer available to lease, now called the Primastar) also have a low failure rate of 27 percent.
Class 4 Vans and Pick-ups initial MOT failure data 2023-2024:
- Total number of vans submitted for an MOT test: 2,471,121.
- Total number of initial MOT failures: 890,938
- Percentage of initial MOT failures: 36%
Top 10 reasons for van MOT initial failures 2023-2024:
- Lamps, reflectors and electric equipment: 47%
- Suspension: 34%
- Brakes: 28%
- Visibility: 20%
- Body, chassis, structure: 18%
- Tyres: 17%
- Noise, emissions and leaks: 12%
- Steering: 10%
- Seatbelts and restraints: 5%
- Identification of the vehicle: 1%
- Road wheels: 1%
*Data was collected from an FOI request to the DVSA. Select Van Leasing requested the details of the MOT failure rate of Class 4 vehicles and the reasons for these failures. This data was filtered by vehicle type to record the failure rate of the following van types: Car Derived Van, Luton Van, Light Van, Panel Van, Insulated Van, Pick Up, Van/Side Windows, Specially Fitted Van, Box Van. The data gathered is from April 2023 and March 2024. Van models with fewer than 1,000 tests in a year have been excluded from this ranking.
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