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MOT defects · Lights

Side or tail light 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 2.6 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Nissan NV200 got it most often: recorded 10.5 times per 100 of its 26,275 tests.

DVSA wording: A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning.

Failures
2.6 in 100
At least 873,865 tests in 2023
Most often
Nissan NV200
10.5 per 100 tests

What it means

A front side light or rear tail light (the position lamps) is out. Usually a blown bulb; on LED units, part of the lamp can fail.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail, when a lamp is missing, not working or more than half of a multi-LED lamp is out. Up to half out is a minor defect.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 4.2.1.

  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.
  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

Usually a new bulb. LED lamps often need a whole new unit.

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 177 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
10.5
Peugeot 30739,404
10.0
Vauxhall Antara22,582
9.1
Peugeot 207159,030
8.2
Citroen Berlingo190,230
8.0
Ford Galaxy66,373
7.6
Peugeot Partner152,999
7.5
Citroen Dispatch52,335
7.3
Citroen Xsara35,042
7.2
Mitsubishi Colt25,654
7.2

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Walk round the car with the lights on 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.

UK

Questions

What does "Side or tail light not working" mean on an MOT?
A front side light or rear tail light (the position lamps) is out. Usually a blown bulb; on LED units, part of the lamp can fail.
Side or tail light not working: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail, when a lamp is missing, not working or more than half of a multi-LED lamp is out. Up to half out is a minor defect.
Which cars are most likely to get "side or tail light not working" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Nissan NV200 (10.5 per 100 tests), the Peugeot 307 (10.0 per 100 tests), the Vauxhall Antara (9.1 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.