At a Glance
UK cars have seen 79.0M bodywork problems recorded across 20 years of DVSA MOT data. Vans over-index on this category by +78% vs the UK average. The category's per-test fail rate has dropped since 2006 — 15.4% → 8.5% (-45% change).
Trend rates normalise failures by UK MOT test volume each year, so a growing number of cars on UK roads doesn't distort the signal. Read our DVSA data analysis methodology →
About Bodywork Problems on UK Cars
The bodywork category covers a major portion of UK MOT failures across cars, vans, and pickups. UK testers have recorded 79.0M bodywork problems across 20 years of DVSA data — patterns useful for buyers checking a used car, owners scheduling preventive repairs, and journalists writing about UK road safety.
Below: which UK car makes most commonly fail MOTs in this category, the specific bodywork problems testers record most often, body-type comparisons, and 20 years of trend data — all drawn from DVSA records, no editorial picks.
UK Car Makes Most Affected by Bodywork
Top 15 UK car makes ranked by bodywork problems recorded in DVSA MOT data
Switch between raw Problem count (Ford, Vauxhall lead because they're bigger fleets), Per-test rate (bodywork problems divided by this make's total MOT tests — normalises for fleet size), and MOT tests (fleet size for context). Hover any bar for all three values plus share of UK bodywork problems.
Most Common Bodywork Problems
The 20 most frequently recorded bodywork problems across all UK makes and models
1.Wiper blades deteriorated
29.1M (30.0%)2.Windscreen washer not working
15.8M (16.3%)3.Windscreen damage affecting view
14.6M (15.1%)4.Exhaust system fault
8.9M (9.2%)5.Chassis condition
6.2M (6.4%)6.Body corrosion or damage
5.6M (5.8%)7.Seat belt condition
5.5M (5.7%)8.Mirror damaged or missing
3.4M (3.5%)9.Airbag warning light on
2.8M (2.9%)10.Vehicle structure corrosion
2.3M (2.4%)11.Bonnet catch or hinge fault
567K (0.59%)12.Engine mounting worn or broken
369K (0.38%)13.Bumper damaged or insecure
327K (0.34%)14.Body security fault
208K (0.21%)15.Subframe corrosion or damage
204K (0.21%)16.Front passenger door fault
196K (0.20%)17.Driver door fault
183K (0.19%)18.Fuel cap damaged or missing
171K (0.18%)19.Spare wheel fault
150K (0.15%)20.Driver airbag fault
144K (0.15%)Bodywork Trend — 20 Years of UK MOT Data
Per-year bodywork failure rate vs the UK all-category average
Each line is the per-year failure rate as a percentage of UK MOT tests. Bodywork rate has dropped from 15.4% (2006) to 8.5% (2024) — a -45% change. Use the filter pills to toggle either line.
Showing all categories. Click a pill to hide; double-click to isolate.
Which Body Type Fails Most on Bodywork?
Per-body-type bodywork problem rate deviation from UK average
A body type that bulges right over-indexes on bodywork per MOT test — structurally more bodywork failures than the UK baseline, not just more problems because it's popular.
Note on body-type classification: each model is assigned a single primary body style. Multi-body models (e.g. Volvo 240, BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, Ford Mondeo) appear under their dominant body — usually saloon — even when they had significant estate or hatchback variants. So the “saloon” bar above includes some genuine estate volume. We're working on per-generation body-type data to fix this.
Tell Us About a Bodywork Problem
Had a bodywork problem with your car? Report it and we'll add it to the database.
Tell Us About a Bodywork Problem
Had a bodywork problem with your car? Report it and we'll add it to the database.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common bodywork problems on UK cars?
Based on DVSA MOT test records, the top bodywork problems are wiper blades deteriorated, windscreen washer not working, windscreen damage affecting view. These three account for 61% of all bodywork failures recorded.
Which UK make has the most bodywork problems?
By absolute volume, Ford has the most bodywork problems recorded (22,733,401 occurrences, 20.9% of all UK bodywork problems) — which partly reflects how many Ford vehicles are on UK roads, not just reliability. See the Most Affected Makes list above for the full ranking.
Which body type fails most on bodywork?
Vans over-index on bodywork failures by 78% vs the UK average, while Sportss are 45% below average. See the body-type deviation chart above.
Is bodywork getting better or worse over time?
Bodywork failures have improved over the 20-year window — 2006: 15.4% of UK MOT tests → 2024: 8.5% (-45% change). Compare against the UK all-categories line on the chart for context.
How is this data calculated?
DVSA publishes anonymised MOT test records under the Open Government Licence v3. We classify every Reason-for-Rejection (RfR) item into one of 11 DVSA-tested categories, aggregate counts across 20 years of data, and normalise per-year rates by UK MOT test volume so growth in the number of cars on UK roads doesn't distort the trend. Read the full methodology for details.
