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MOT defects · Windscreen, wipers and mirrors

Screen washers 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 1.2 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Peugeot Bipper got it most often: recorded 3.5 times per 100 of its 22,191 tests.

DVSA wording: Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen.

Failures
1.2 in 100
At least 411,470 tests in 2023
Most often
Peugeot Bipper
3.5 per 100 tests

What it means

The screen washers do not spray enough to clear the windscreen. Often just an empty bottle, sometimes a blocked jet or failed pump.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 3.5.

  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

Fill the reservoir, clear the jets, or replace the pump.

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 196 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 Bipper22,191
3.5
Fiat Punto72,390
3.2
Hyundai Getz23,077
3.2
Volkswagen Fox28,542
2.8
Peugeot 30739,404
2.6
Vauxhall Vivaro229,686
2.5
SEAT Ibiza195,989
2.5
Peugeot 20658,647
2.4
Vauxhall Vectra39,116
2.4
Renault Trafic125,608
2.4

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Try the washers: both jets should hit the screen.
  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 "Screen washers not working" mean on an MOT?
The screen washers do not spray enough to clear the windscreen. Often just an empty bottle, sometimes a blocked jet or failed pump.
Screen washers not working: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "screen washers not working" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Peugeot Bipper (3.5 per 100 tests), the Fiat Punto (3.2 per 100 tests), the Hyundai Getz (3.2 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.