North West · postcode area BL
Bolton MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Bolton area pass 73.6% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, about the national average of 72.2% and ranking 44 of 118 areas in Britain. From 254,329 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 4.3 times per 100 failures here, ranking 74 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Bolton is 1.3 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. The raw figure is 75.0%; the drop after adjustment is the local fleet being newer than the national mix. Cars here average 72,772 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Bolton
Share of failed tests in the area that recorded each item. One failed test often lists several, so these do not sum to 100%.
- 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements16.2%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened13.4%
- 3.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.1%
- 4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.5%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.2%
- 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.1%
- 7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.8%
- 8.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.8%
- 9.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.7%
- 10.A tyre cords visible or damaged5.6%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
Corrosion
4.3 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Bolton 74 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a meaningful share of failures here, though well short of the coastal and Scottish extremes. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements19.4% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged11.9% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured9.8% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.2% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.1% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded4.9% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Bolton
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Bolton
- Ford27,166 tests
- Toyota23,991 tests
- Volkswagen21,666 tests
- Vauxhall20,274 tests
- Mercedes-Benz16,225 tests
- BMW14,916 tests
- Audi14,425 tests
- Kia12,742 tests
North West
Other areas in North West
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Bolton?
- 73.6% of MOT tests in the Bolton postcode area (BL) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is about the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 75.0%. That ranks Bolton 44 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Bolton?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Bolton is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 16.2% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (13.4%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 4.3 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 74 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Bolton, not the testers. Every MOT station applies the same inspection manual, and DVSA monitors testing standards nationally. A regional difference reflects the local fleet and local conditions — roads, weather, salt, how far cars are driven — rather than how hard the test is.
- Is Bolton a bad area to buy a used car from?
- The area itself is not a concern. Corrosion is recorded less often on failed tests here than in coastal and northern areas, so a car from Bolton is, on the evidence, less likely to carry rust problems than one from Scotland or the West Country. The individual car's MOT history still matters far more than its postcode.
Analysis built from DVSA data of