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MOT defects · Windscreen, wipers and mirrors

Mirror slightly damaged or loose MOT minor defect: what it means and which cars get it

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as a minor defect on at least 0.1 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Iveco Daily got it most often: recorded 3.1 times per 100 of its 38,031 tests.

DVSA wording: Obligatory mirror or device slightly damaged or loose.

Minor defects
0.1 in 100
At least 37,974 tests in 2023
Most often
Iveco Daily
3.1 per 100 tests

What it means

A mirror is cracked, chipped or loose but still usable.

How serious it is

A minor defect, which passes. Excessively damaged, insecure or missing is a major defect.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 3.3.

  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.
  2. Minor Pass
    No significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment. Repair as soon as possible.

What fixing it usually involves

A new mirror glass or housing.

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 13 models with at least 20,000 tests where it is among the 40 most common items. DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail.

ModelTestsMinor
Iveco Daily38,031
3.1
Citroen Relay63,380
3.0
Ford Transit951,359
1.9
Volkswagen Crafter60,549
1.8
Peugeot Boxer104,939
1.8
Peugeot Bipper22,191
1.6
Renault Trafic125,608
1.6
Citroen Dispatch52,335
1.5
Vauxhall Movano51,019
1.5
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter211,162
1.5

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Check both door mirrors and the interior mirror are secure and adjust properly.
  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.

UK

Questions

What does "Mirror slightly damaged or loose" mean on an MOT?
A mirror is cracked, chipped or loose but still usable.
Mirror slightly damaged or loose: is it an MOT fail?
A minor defect, which passes. Excessively damaged, insecure or missing is a major defect.
Which cars are most likely to get "mirror slightly damaged or loose" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Iveco Daily (3.1 per 100 tests), the Citroen Relay (3.0 per 100 tests), the Ford Transit (1.9 per 100 tests).

More windscreen, wipers and mirrors defects

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

Windscreen chipped or crackedWiper blade not clearing the screenScreen washers not workingMirror slightly damaged or loose

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.