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MOT defects · Suspension and steering

Suspension joint dust cover split 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 0.5 in 100 and as a failure on at least 0.09 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Ford Fusion got it most often: recorded 8.8 times per 100 of its 58,809 tests.

DVSA wording: A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated; A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.

Failures
0.09 in 100
At least 30,959 tests in 2023
Minor defects
0.5 in 100
At least 163,310 tests in 2023
Most often
Ford Fusion
8.8 per 100 tests

What it means

The rubber boot on a suspension ball joint has split or perished. It keeps grease in and dirt out, so a failed boot is usually followed by a worn joint.

How serious it is

Severely deteriorated is a minor defect, which passes. Missing or no longer keeping dirt out is a major defect, a fail.

Source: MOT inspection manual for cars and light vans, section 5.3.4.

  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 the ball joint or arm is replaced, as boots are often not sold separately.

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

ModelTestsFailMinor
Ford Fusion58,809
3.1
5.7
Mitsubishi Colt25,654
2.1
6.5
Vauxhall Mokka221,669
4.1
2.9
Volkswagen Fox28,542
2.2
3.3
Mazda 667,869
1.7
3.1
Hyundai i20125,192
2.0
2.3
Kia Rio98,946
2.1
2.1
Honda CR-V204,614·
4.1
Kia Venga47,973
1.4
1.8
Hyundai ix2029,341
1.3
1.6

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Look behind each front wheel at the ball joint boots for splits and flung grease.
  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 "Suspension joint dust cover split" mean on an MOT?
The rubber boot on a suspension ball joint has split or perished. It keeps grease in and dirt out, so a failed boot is usually followed by a worn joint.
Suspension joint dust cover split: is it an MOT fail?
Severely deteriorated is a minor defect, which passes. Missing or no longer keeping dirt out is a major defect, a fail.
Which cars are most likely to get "suspension joint dust cover split" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Ford Fusion (8.8 per 100 tests), the Mitsubishi Colt (8.5 per 100 tests), the Vauxhall Mokka (7.0 per 100 tests).

More suspension and steering defects

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

Coil spring broken or corrodedShock absorber leakingShock absorber bush wornSuspension bush wornSuspension ball joint wornAnti-roll bar link wornAnti-roll bar link dust cover splitSuspension joint dust cover splitTrack rod end wornSteering ball joint dust cover splitSub-frame corrodedSuspension arm corrodedCV joint boot splitWheel 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.