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MOT defects · Lights

Headlight not working 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 1.3 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Peugeot 207 got it most often: recorded 5.3 times per 100 of its 159,030 tests.

DVSA wording: A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED.

Failures
1.3 in 100
At least 435,444 tests in 2023
Most often
Peugeot 207
5.3 per 100 tests

What it means

A headlight is out on dipped or main beam. Usually a bulb; on LED headlights part of the unit can fail.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 4.1.1.

  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

A new bulb, or a new unit for many LED headlights.

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 156 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
Peugeot 207159,030
5.3
Peugeot 30739,404
5.1
Citroen DS375,180
4.6
Citroen Relay63,380
4.2
Renault Megane121,442
3.8
Alfa Romeo Mito20,894
3.8
Citroen Dispatch52,335
3.7
Citroen Berlingo190,230
3.7
Nissan NV20026,275
3.7
Citroen Xsara35,042
3.6

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Check dipped and main beam on both sides before you go.
  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 "Headlight not working" mean on an MOT?
A headlight is out on dipped or main beam. Usually a bulb; on LED headlights part of the unit can fail.
Headlight not working: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "headlight not working" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Peugeot 207 (5.3 per 100 tests), the Peugeot 307 (5.1 per 100 tests), the Citroen DS3 (4.6 per 100 tests).

More lights defects

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

Side or tail light not workingBrake light not workingHeadlight not workingHeadlight lens slightly defectiveHeadlight aim outNumber plate light not workingIndicator discoloured or wrong colourSide repeater not workingRear fog light not working

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.