Suspension 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 1.1 in 100 and as a failure on at least 0.5 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Suzuki Alto got it most often: recorded 14.9 times per 100 of its 50,429 tests.
DVSA wording: A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
What it means
A rubber or metal bush that locates a suspension arm has worn, split or perished, so the arm moves more than it should. It can upset steering, braking stability and tyre wear.
How serious it is
A major defect, so a fail, when excessively worn. Likely to become detached is dangerous.
Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 5.3.4.
- Dangerous FailA direct and immediate risk to road safety or has a serious impact on the environment. Do not drive the vehicle until it's been repaired.
- Major FailIt may affect the vehicle's safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. Repair it immediately.
- Advisory PassIt could become more serious in the future. Monitor and repair it if necessary.
What fixing it usually involves
Pressing in a new bush, or replacing the whole arm where the bush cannot be renewed on its own.
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 130 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Alto | 50,429 | 1.6 | 13.3 |
| Skoda Rapid | 22,968 | 3.4 | 8.2 |
| SEAT Ibiza | 195,989 | 3.2 | 7.1 |
| Skoda Fabia | 237,335 | 2.5 | 7.6 |
| Volkswagen Fox | 28,542 | 2.5 | 7.3 |
| Audi A5 | 121,955 | 1.1 | 8.0 |
| Audi A1 | 205,668 | 2.5 | 6.5 |
| Volkswagen Polo | 628,160 | 2.3 | 6.4 |
| Volkswagen Beetle | 48,614 | · | 7.9 |
| BMW 120 | 45,188 | 1.2 | 5.6 |
What to check at a viewing
- On the carListen for knocks and creaks over bumps, and look for uneven wear on the inner edges of the front tyres.
- In the MOT historyIf 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 "Suspension bush worn" mean on an MOT?
Suspension bush worn: is it an MOT fail?
Which cars are most likely to get "suspension bush worn" on an MOT?
More suspension and steering defects
See every MOT defect we explain or MOT pass rates by model.
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.