Tyre cords exposed at the MOT: which cars fail on it most
4.8% of failed initial MOT tests in 2025 recorded this defect: 437,287 of 9,185,328. By age, it was most common on vehicles 3 to 5 years old (8.0%) and least common on vehicles 20 years old and over (3.0%).
It is one of the 10 most common MOT failures on 183 of the 332 car models we cover. Against vehicles of the same age, it was most common on the Tesla Model X, the BMW M4 and the Mercedes-Benz EQC. On the Tesla Model X, 28.9% of failed tests had it, against 5.7% for all vehicles of the same age.
The DVSA records it as “Tyre has ply or cords exposed”. A failed test can have several defects.
What the MOT checks
A tyre with its ply or cords exposed. Any ply or cord that can be seen without touching the tyre fails.
The MOT inspection manual lists “A tyre with a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure, including any lifting of the tread rubber or with cords exposed or damaged” as a dangerous defect, so the vehicle fails.
Car models where it is most common
| # | Car | Share of failed tests | Against same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model X1,285 failed tests | 28.9%372 tests | 5.1×all: 5.7% |
| 2 | BMW M41,474 failed tests | 25.9%382 tests | 4.7×all: 5.5% |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz EQC2,010 failed tests | 37.9%762 tests | 4.4×all: 8.5% |
| 4 | Porsche Taycan966 failed tests | 29.7%287 tests | 3.5×all: 8.4% |
| 5 | SEAT Alhambra5,451 failed tests | 16.9%919 tests | 3.5×all: 4.8% |
| 6 | BMW i41,054 failed tests | 33.4%352 tests | 3.4×all: 9.8% |
| 7 | Tesla Model S1,849 failed tests | 15.7%291 tests | 3.2×all: 4.9% |
| 8 | Tesla Model Y5,417 failed tests | 30.6%1,660 tests | 3.2×all: 9.7% |
| 9 | BMW 8 Series833 failed tests | 23.0%192 tests | 3.1×all: 7.5% |
| 10 | Audi Q41,257 failed tests | 27.2%342 tests | 3.0×all: 9.0% |
| 11 | Mercedes-Benz SLC1,140 failed tests | 14.2%162 tests | 2.9×all: 4.9% |
| 12 | Tesla Model 313,522 failed tests | 22.0%2,969 tests | 2.9×all: 7.6% |
| 13 | BMW X517,778 failed tests | 14.2%2,529 tests | 2.8×all: 5.0% |
| 14 | Audi e-tron1,780 failed tests | 22.1%393 tests | 2.8×all: 7.9% |
| 15 | BMW X61,736 failed tests | 13.5%235 tests | 2.8×all: 4.9% |
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.
Models where it was at most half as common
| Car | Share of failed tests | All vehicles, same age |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Yaris Cross1,298 failed tests | ≤3.8%not in its top 10 | 9.3% |
| Mazda CX-301,760 failed tests | ≤3.4%not in its top 10 | 7.9% |
| Peugeot Rifter1,758 failed tests | ≤3.2%not in its top 10 | 7.1% |
| MG HS3,794 failed tests | ≤4.0%not in its top 10 | 8.9% |
| Fiat 500E1,183 failed tests | ≤4.2%not in its top 10 | 8.8% |
| Suzuki Vitara10,606 failed tests | ≤2.7%not in its top 10 | 5.4% |
≤ means at most: the defect wasn't one of the model's 10 most common, so we only know it had no more failed tests than the model's 10th most common defect, or fewer than 50. Models are listed by these figures against the same-age share, so this is not a ranking of the lowest.
How common it is by car age
- Under 3 years, first used 2023 to 20247.5% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages814 failed tests
- 3 to 5 years, first used 2020 to 20228.0% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages54,989 failed tests
- 6 to 9 years, first used 2016 to 20195.1% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages107,561 failed tests
- 10 to 14 years, first used 2011 to 20154.6% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages154,243 failed tests
- 15 to 19 years, first used 2006 to 20104.3% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages94,977 failed tests
- 20 years and over, first used 1985 to 20053.0% of failed tests, against 4.8% for all ages24,703 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 tyres faults
- Tyre tread depth7.9% of failed tests
- Tyre cut5.0% of failed tests
- Tyre pressure monitoring1.7% of failed tests
- Tyre bulge1.5% of failed tests
Share of all failed initial MOT tests in 2025.