Headlamp beam image at the MOT: which cars fail on it most
4.5% of failed initial MOT tests in 2025 recorded this defect: 417,833 of 9,185,328. By age, it was most common on vehicles 20 years old and over (8.4%) and least common on vehicles 3 to 5 years old (1.2%).
It is one of the 10 most common MOT failures on 83 of the 332 car models we cover. Against vehicles of the same age, it was most common on the Hyundai i800, the Dacia Duster and the BMW 2 Series. On the Hyundai i800, 15.3% of failed tests had it, against 2.2% for all vehicles of the same age.
The DVSA records it as “Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect”. A failed test can have several defects.
What the MOT checks
The beam a headlamp projects on the tester's aiming equipment is obviously the wrong pattern.
The MOT inspection manual lists “Beam image obviously incorrect” as a major defect, so the vehicle fails.
The manual also says: “You must not carry out repairs during an MOT test, but you can make minor adjustments to the headlamp aim.”
Car models where it is most common
| # | Car | Share of failed tests | Against same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai i8001,820 failed tests | 15.3%278 tests | 6.9×all: 2.2% |
| 2 | Dacia Duster23,583 failed tests | 13.1%3,078 tests | 5.4×all: 2.4% |
| 3 | BMW 2 Series21,991 failed tests | 5.8%1,270 tests | 2.6×all: 2.3% |
| 4 | Citroen C4 Cactus6,142 failed tests | 5.3%323 tests | 2.4×all: 2.2% |
| 5 | Dacia Logan4,435 failed tests | 6.2%275 tests | 2.3×all: 2.7% |
| 6 | DS 311,270 failed tests | 5.0%564 tests | 2.0×all: 2.4% |
| 7 | Peugeot RCZ3,729 failed tests | 8.7%325 tests | 1.9×all: 4.5% |
| 8 | Citroen DS43,843 failed tests | 7.9%302 tests | 1.9×all: 4.0% |
| 9 | Honda Civic84,452 failed tests | 11.9%10,040 tests | 1.9×all: 6.3% |
| 10 | Nissan Note54,106 failed tests | 10.6%5,744 tests | 1.9×all: 5.7% |
| 11 | Peugeot 20755,774 failed tests | 11.5%6,418 tests | 1.8×all: 6.2% |
| 12 | Ford Focus283,333 failed tests | 9.2%26,084 tests | 1.8×all: 5.0% |
| 13 | Skoda Yeti19,347 failed tests | 6.7%1,303 tests | 1.8×all: 3.7% |
| 14 | Mitsubishi Colt8,549 failed tests | 13.2%1,129 tests | 1.8×all: 7.3% |
| 15 | Peugeot 5084,384 failed tests | 6.9%301 tests | 1.8×all: 3.8% |
Only models where this defect is one of their 10 most common MOT failures, with at least 50 failed tests, have a figure. So a model that isn't listed can still have it, just less often than its other faults. Vans, pick-ups and taxis are left out, as in our rankings. × is the model's share divided by the share for all vehicles of the same age.
How common it is by car age
- Under 3 years, first used 2023 to 20241.2% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages128 failed tests
- 3 to 5 years, first used 2020 to 20221.2% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages7,932 failed tests
- 6 to 9 years, first used 2016 to 20192.3% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages47,607 failed tests
- 10 to 14 years, first used 2011 to 20154.0% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages134,902 failed tests
- 15 to 19 years, first used 2006 to 20107.2% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages158,379 failed tests
- 20 years and over, first used 1985 to 20058.4% of failed tests, against 4.5% for all ages68,885 failed tests
All-vehicle figures cover vehicles first used from 1985 to 2024: 9,185,328 of the 9,193,164 failed initial tests in 2025.
How these figures are counted
These are failures recorded at initial MOT tests in 2025. Retests are not counted. A defect found on more than one wheel, lamp or joint at the same test counts once. "Same age" is the defect's share of failed tests for all vehicles first used in the same years, weighted by the model's own failed tests in each year.
An MOT checks safety and emissions on the day of the test. These figures show where a defect was recorded, not why, and not what a repair costs. Figures: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. What the MOT checks: MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles, GOV.UK, read 1 Nov 2026.
How we choose and rank these defectsOther lights and electrics faults
- Position lamp8.7% of failed tests
- Stop lamp6.6% of failed tests
- Dipped headlamp4.9% of failed tests
- Headlamp aim too low4.0% of failed tests
- Number plate lamp3.9% of failed tests
- Headlamp aim too high3.0% of failed tests
Share of all failed initial MOT tests in 2025.