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MOT defects · Engine, exhaust and leaks

Airbag warning light on MOT failure: what it means and which cars get it

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as a failure on at least 0.1 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Nissan NV200 got it most often: recorded 2.4 times per 100 of its 26,275 tests.

DVSA wording: An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction.

Failures
0.1 in 100
At least 44,100 tests in 2023
Most often
Nissan NV200
2.4 per 100 tests

What it means

The airbag (SRS) warning light shows a fault, so an airbag or seat belt pretensioner might not work in a crash. A common cause is a connector under a front seat.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 7.1.6.

  1. Major Fail
    It may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately.

What fixing it usually involves

A diagnostic scan to read the fault, then the repair: a connector, a clock spring in the steering wheel, a seat sensor or a module.

A general guide, not a quote: ask a garage to inspect the car.

Which models get it most

Per 100 initial MOT tests on each model, among the 29 models with at least 20,000 tests where it is among the 40 most common items. DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail.

ModelTestsFail
Nissan NV20026,275
2.4
Mercedes-Benz CLK32,623
2.3
Renault Kangoo59,516
2.2
Mitsubishi Colt25,654
1.9
Volkswagen Beetle48,614
1.9
BMW 53024,594
1.6
Mercedes-Benz A-Class77,568
1.5
Volkswagen Passat207,331
1.4
BMW Z435,739
1.4
Renault Twingo26,208
1.4

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    With the ignition on, the airbag light should come on, then go out after a few seconds.
  2. In the MOT history
    If this appears in past results, ask what was done and when, and for the receipt.

Check a specific car

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

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Questions

What does "Airbag warning light on" mean on an MOT?
The airbag (SRS) warning light shows a fault, so an airbag or seat belt pretensioner might not work in a crash. A common cause is a connector under a front seat.
Airbag warning light on: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "airbag warning light on" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Nissan NV200 (2.4 per 100 tests), the Mercedes-Benz CLK (2.3 per 100 tests), the Renault Kangoo (2.2 per 100 tests).

More engine, exhaust and leaks defects

See every MOT defect we explain or MOT pass rates by model.

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How these figures are made. We counted the defects recorded at every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 in the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Each item counts once per test. A failure is a major or dangerous defect, including one fixed during the test. A model's rate is the share of its tests where the item was recorded.

For each model we keep its 40 most frequent items, so a model where a defect is rarer than that is not listed, and figures for all cars are a floor. Defect names and explanations are ours, checked against the MOT inspection manual; DVSA's own wording is shown under each name.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.