MOT defects · Suspension and steering

Shock absorber bush worn MOT advisory: what it means and which cars get it

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, testers recorded this as an advisory on at least 0.1 in 100 and as a failure on at least 0.08 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Isuzu D-Max got it most often: recorded 9.8 times per 100 of its 35,425 tests.

DVSA wording: A shock absorber bush excessively worn.

Failures

0.08 in 100

At least 26,225 tests in 2023

Advisories

0.1 in 100

At least 50,300 tests in 2023

Most often

Isuzu D-Max

9.8 per 100 tests

What it means

The rubber bush at the top or bottom mounting of a shock absorber has worn or split, so the damper moves in its mount. It often knocks over bumps.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail, when excessively worn.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 5.3.2.

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.
Advisory Pass
It could become more serious in the future. Monitor and repair it if necessary.

What fixing it usually involves

A new bush or mounting, or a new shock absorber where the bush is part of it.

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

Model	Tests	Fail	Advisory
Isuzu D-Max	35,425	4.1	5.7
Peugeot Bipper	22,191	5.3	4.2
Land Rover Defender	112,814	2.7	6.2
Fiat Panda	93,477	2.8	4.5
Fiat 500	317,495	3.0	4.1
Ford Ka	191,357	2.1	2.4
Peugeot 307	39,404	·	3.0
Fiat Doblo	49,303	·	2.2
Jaguar XJ	25,292	·	1.9
Mitsubishi L200	78,544	·	1.6

What to check at a viewing

On the car
Listen for knocking over speed bumps, and look at the bushes for cracked or squashed rubber.
In the MOT history
If this appears as an advisory, see whether it came back at the next test or turned into a failure, and ask the seller for the receipt if it was fixed.

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.

Questions

What does "Shock absorber bush worn" mean on an MOT?

The rubber bush at the top or bottom mounting of a shock absorber has worn or split, so the damper moves in its mount. It often knocks over bumps.

Shock absorber bush worn: is it an MOT fail?

A major defect, so a fail, when excessively worn.

Which cars are most likely to get "shock absorber bush worn" on an MOT?

In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Isuzu D-Max (9.8 per 100 tests), the Peugeot Bipper (9.5 per 100 tests), the Land Rover Defender (8.9 per 100 tests).

More suspension and steering defects

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

Coil spring broken or corroded Shock absorber leaking Shock absorber bush worn Suspension bush worn Suspension ball joint worn Anti-roll bar link worn Anti-roll bar link dust cover split Suspension joint dust cover split Track rod end worn Steering ball joint dust cover split Sub-frame corroded Suspension arm corroded CV joint boot split Wheel bearing play

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.