Coil spring broken or corroded MOT advisory: what it means and which cars get it
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as an advisory on at least 2.9 in 100 and as a failure on at least 2.4 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Fiat Punto got it most often: recorded 22.7 times per 100 of its 72,390 tests.
DVSA wording: A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened.
What it means
A road spring has snapped or is seriously weakened. Springs break most often at the bottom coil, where rust and road salt collect, and a broken end can rub on the tyre. As an advisory, the tester has seen something worth watching, such as corrosion on the spring.
How serious it is
A major defect, so a fail, when a spring or spring component is fractured or seriously weakened.
Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 5.3.1.
- Major FailIt may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately.
- Advisory PassIt could become more serious in the future. Monitor and repair it if necessary.
What fixing it usually involves
Springs are replaced, normally as a pair on the axle so the car sits level. On many cars the strut has to come out to do it.
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 190 models with at least 20,000 tests where it is among the 40 most common items. DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail.
| Model | Tests | Fail | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiat Punto | 72,390 | 5.5 | 17.1 |
| Alfa Romeo Mito | 20,894 | 8.8 | 12.4 |
| Vauxhall Vectra | 39,116 | 8.4 | 10.9 |
| Citroen DS3 | 75,180 | 11.4 | 4.3 |
| Fiat Panda | 93,477 | 2.1 | 13.1 |
| Peugeot Bipper | 22,191 | 10.1 | 4.5 |
| Vauxhall Meriva | 101,694 | 9.6 | 5.0 |
| Peugeot 207 | 159,030 | 7.3 | 6.9 |
| Mitsubishi Colt | 25,654 | 3.8 | 10.4 |
| Peugeot 307 | 39,404 | 5.7 | 7.9 |
What to check at a viewing
- On the carLook at the car from the front and back on level ground: one corner sitting lower is the classic sign. Listen for a clonk over bumps or when turning.
- In the MOT historyIf this appears as an advisory, see whether it came back at the next test or turned into a failure, and ask the seller for the receipt if it was fixed.
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.
Questions
What does "Coil spring broken or corroded" mean on an MOT?
Coil spring broken or corroded: is it an MOT fail?
Which cars are most likely to get "coil spring broken or corroded" on an MOT?
More suspension and steering defects
See every MOT defect we explain or MOT pass rates by model.
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.