Tyre pressure monitoring at the MOT: which cars fail on it most
1.7% of failed initial MOT tests in 2025 recorded this defect: 159,419 of 9,185,328. By age, it was most common on vehicles 6 to 9 years old (3.5%) and least common on vehicles 15 to 19 years old (0.0%).
It is one of the 10 most common MOT failures on 29 of the 332 car models we cover. Against vehicles of the same age, it was most common on the Vauxhall Viva, the MG HS and the Ford C-Max. On the Vauxhall Viva, 28.6% of failed tests had it, against 4.3% for all vehicles of the same age.
The DVSA records it as “Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative”. A failed test can have several defects.
What the MOT checks
The tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is faulty or obviously not working. It is checked on cars (M1 vehicles) first used from 1 January 2012.
The MOT inspection manual lists “Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously not working” as a major defect, so the vehicle fails.
The manual also says: “If the system has identified a previous pressure loss, the lamp will remain illuminated. This does not automatically mean the system has a malfunction.”
Car models where it is most common
| # | Car | Share of failed tests | Against same age |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vauxhall Viva8,150 failed tests | 28.6%2,330 tests | 6.7×all: 4.3% |
| 2 | MG HS3,794 failed tests | 12.5%476 tests | 5.5×all: 2.3% |
| 3 | Ford C-Max33,983 failed tests | 5.5%1,885 tests | 3.6×all: 1.6% |
| 4 | Ford Puma7,714 failed tests | 6.9%535 tests | 3.0×all: 2.3% |
| 5 | Ford Grand C-Max11,981 failed tests | 7.4%890 tests | 3.0×all: 2.5% |
| 6 | Tesla Model 313,522 failed tests | 6.3%851 tests | 2.8×all: 2.3% |
| 7 | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross1,546 failed tests | 6.7%104 tests | 2.7×all: 2.5% |
| 8 | Ford Kuga64,180 failed tests | 7.0%4,490 tests | 2.6×all: 2.6% |
| 9 | Ford Tourneo Custom2,638 failed tests | 6.0%158 tests | 2.6×all: 2.3% |
| 10 | Ford Tourneo Connect3,356 failed tests | 8.2%275 tests | 2.4×all: 3.4% |
| 11 | Lexus UX1,016 failed tests | 5.4%55 tests | 2.4×all: 2.3% |
| 12 | MG ZS10,837 failed tests | 5.5%597 tests | 2.3×all: 2.4% |
| 13 | Vauxhall Mokka77,832 failed tests | 8.5%6,579 tests | 2.3×all: 3.7% |
| 14 | Ford B-Max17,003 failed tests | 6.3%1,069 tests | 2.3×all: 2.8% |
| 15 | Ford Edge1,443 failed tests | 7.6%110 tests | 2.1×all: 3.6% |
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 20243.4% of failed tests, against 1.7% for all ages371 failed tests
- 3 to 5 years, first used 2020 to 20222.3% of failed tests, against 1.7% for all ages15,575 failed tests
- 6 to 9 years, first used 2016 to 20193.5% of failed tests, against 1.7% for all ages74,075 failed tests
- 10 to 14 years, first used 2011 to 20152.1% of failed tests, against 1.7% for all ages69,279 failed tests
- 15 to 19 years, first used 2006 to 2010<0.1% of failed tests, against 1.7% for all ages105 failed tests
Not shown, with fewer than 50 failed tests with this defect: vehicles 20 years old and over.
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 cords exposed4.8% of failed tests
- Tyre bulge1.5% of failed tests
Share of all failed initial MOT tests in 2025.