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MOT defects · Brakes

Handbrake not working on one side 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 Vauxhall Vectra got it most often: recorded 3.6 times per 100 of its 39,116 tests.

DVSA wording: Parking brake inoperative on one side.

Failures
0.1 in 100
At least 40,950 tests in 2023
Most often
Vauxhall Vectra
3.6 per 100 tests

What it means

The parking brake works on one rear wheel but not the other. Usually a seized or snapped cable, or a stuck caliper or drum mechanism on that side.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 1.4.1.

  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

Replace or free the cable, or repair the caliper or drum mechanism on the dead side.

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 25 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
Vauxhall Vectra39,116
3.6
Iveco Daily38,031
3.1
Hyundai i30107,204
2.5
Hyundai ix2029,341
2.5
Renault Master70,230
2.4
Vauxhall Vivaro229,686
2.2
Vauxhall Movano51,019
2.2
Kia Picanto179,881
2.1
Citroen Relay63,380
2.0
Renault Trafic125,608
1.9

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Check the handbrake holds on a slope, and listen for a click from both rear wheels as it is applied.
  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 "Handbrake not working on one side" mean on an MOT?
The parking brake works on one rear wheel but not the other. Usually a seized or snapped cable, or a stuck caliper or drum mechanism on that side.
Handbrake not working on one side: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "handbrake not working on one side" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Vauxhall Vectra (3.6 per 100 tests), the Iveco Daily (3.1 per 100 tests), the Hyundai i30 (2.5 per 100 tests).

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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.