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Nearly 40% of cars and vans failed MOTs last year
Date: 26 July 2017 | Author: Daniel Puddicombe
More than a third of cars and vans failed their MOTs last year, with the majority of these failures coming from cheap and easy to fix, new research has suggested.
According to car warranty provider Warranty Direct, 36.8% of cars and vans failed their MOT exam last year, with electrical faults being the most common cause of MOT failures, accounting for 19% of the non-passes.
The company analysed vehicle testing data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and claims on 40,000 of policies taken out with the firm to come up with these figures.
According to Warranty Direct, Renault vehicles are most prone to electrical issues, with 38% of owners making a claim for an electrical fault, followed by Seat (30%), Bentley (29%), Ford (24%) and Mitsubishi (23%).
Warranty Direct said that while electrical improvements in recent years can improve the performance and safety of vehicles, they can cause failures thanks to the systems being complex. The firm advised drivers to carry out maintenance tasks between MOTs.
The company added claimed it was "concerned" at the level of failures attributed to electrical issues, suggesting that many motorists are willing taking risks by driving vehicles with faults that could be rectified cheaply and easily.
According to Warranty Direct, the second most common cause for MOT failures were suspension faults, accounting for 13% of all non-passes, while braking system issues rounded out the top three, on 10%.
"The most recent high MOT failure rates are of significant concern," said Simon Ackers, CEO of Warranty Direct. "The results indicate a large proportion of drivers are not taking the necessary safety measures when it comes to their vehicles, these costs could also be avoided with the purchase of an extended warranty, which covers failures to insured vehicle parts that are found during a service or MOT test."
