Track rod end at the MOT: which cars fail on it most
3.8% of failed initial MOT tests in 2025 recorded this defect: 349,719 of 9,185,328. By age, it was most common on vehicles 10 to 14 years old (4.9%) and least common on vehicles 3 to 5 years old (0.6%).
It is one of the 10 most common MOT failures on 60 of the 332 car models we cover. Against vehicles of the same age, it was most common on the BMW iX, the Jaguar I-Pace and the Land Rover Range Rover Velar. On the BMW iX, 8.0% of failed tests had it, against 0.4% for all vehicles of the same age.
The DVSA records it as “Track rod end ball joint has excessive play”. A failed test can have several defects.
What the MOT checks
A track rod end ball joint in the steering with excessive wear or free play.
The MOT inspection manual lists “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play” as a major defect, so the vehicle fails.
The manual also says: “Relative movement due to excessive wear must be distinguished from relative movement due to built-in clearance or spring loading of a joint.”
Car models where it is most common
| # | Car | Share of failed tests | Against same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BMW iX738 failed tests | 8.0%59 tests | 18.6×all: 0.4% |
| 2 | Jaguar I-Pace1,819 failed tests | 10.6%192 tests | 12.5×all: 0.8% |
| 3 | Land Rover Range Rover Velar5,778 failed tests | 8.0%460 tests | 6.6×all: 1.2% |
| 4 | Jaguar F-Pace8,733 failed tests | 10.0%869 tests | 5.8×all: 1.7% |
| 5 | Kia Venga13,418 failed tests | 21.2%2,844 tests | 4.7×all: 4.5% |
| 6 | Kia Soul7,059 failed tests | 19.7%1,394 tests | 4.3×all: 4.6% |
| 7 | Nissan Qashqai185,971 failed tests | 16.1%29,886 tests | 4.1×all: 3.9% |
| 8 | Mazda CX-514,166 failed tests | 12.2%1,728 tests | 4.0×all: 3.1% |
| 9 | Nissan Juke99,185 failed tests | 15.8%15,664 tests | 4.0×all: 4.0% |
| 10 | Citroen C4 Grand Picasso4,744 failed tests | 9.4%448 tests | 3.9×all: 2.4% |
| 11 | Nissan Pulsar6,101 failed tests | 13.2%807 tests | 3.9×all: 3.4% |
| 12 | Nissan X-Trail26,279 failed tests | 13.2%3,456 tests | 3.8×all: 3.5% |
| 13 | Hyundai ix208,692 failed tests | 17.0%1,478 tests | 3.8×all: 4.5% |
| 14 | Tesla Model S1,849 failed tests | 8.7%161 tests | 3.3×all: 2.6% |
| 15 | Citroen C4 Picasso1,575 failed tests | 8.2%129 tests | 3.3×all: 2.5% |
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
- 3 to 5 years, first used 2020 to 20220.6% of failed tests, against 3.8% for all ages4,425 failed tests
- 6 to 9 years, first used 2016 to 20192.3% of failed tests, against 3.8% for all ages47,656 failed tests
- 10 to 14 years, first used 2011 to 20154.9% of failed tests, against 3.8% for all ages165,748 failed tests
- 15 to 19 years, first used 2006 to 20104.5% of failed tests, against 3.8% for all ages98,978 failed tests
- 20 years and over, first used 1985 to 20054.0% of failed tests, against 3.8% for all ages32,871 failed tests
Not shown, with fewer than 50 failed tests with this defect: vehicles under 3 years old.
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 steering faults
Share of all failed initial MOT tests in 2025.