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MOT defects · Windscreen, wipers and mirrors

Wiper blade not clearing the screen 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 2.1 in 100 and as a minor defect on at least 0.7 in 100 initial MOT tests. The Mitsubishi Colt got it most often: recorded 8.4 times per 100 of its 25,654 tests.

DVSA wording: Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen; Wiper blade defective.

Failures
2.1 in 100
At least 721,314 tests in 2023
Minor defects
0.7 in 100
At least 231,802 tests in 2023
Most often
Mitsubishi Colt
8.4 per 100 tests

What it means

A wiper blade is split, perished or not clearing the windscreen properly.

How serious it is

A major defect, so a fail, when it is missing or obviously not clearing the screen. A defective blade that still clears is a minor defect.

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

New wiper blades, a minutes-long job.

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 224 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
Mitsubishi Colt25,654
5.8
2.6
Citroen Cactus21,207
5.2
2.6
Hyundai Getz23,077
5.1
2.3
Volkswagen Fox28,542
4.9
2.2
Vauxhall Combo107,867
5.2
1.8
Toyota C-HR66,829
4.8
2.1
Peugeot 20658,647
4.8
2.1
Suzuki Alto50,429
4.4
2.3
Nissan Juke299,185
4.3
2.3
Citroen Dispatch52,335
4.6
1.9

What to check at a viewing

  1. On the car
    Run the wipers with the washers and look for smears or streaks.
  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 "Wiper blade not clearing the screen" mean on an MOT?
A wiper blade is split, perished or not clearing the windscreen properly.
Wiper blade not clearing the screen: is it an MOT fail?
A major defect, so a fail, when it is missing or obviously not clearing the screen. A defective blade that still clears is a minor defect.
Which cars are most likely to get "wiper blade not clearing the screen" on an MOT?
In DVSA MOT data for 2023, analysed by RegTail, the models that got it most often were the Mitsubishi Colt (8.4 per 100 tests), the Citroen Cactus (7.8 per 100 tests), the Hyundai Getz (7.4 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.