Yorkshire and the Humber · postcode area S
Sheffield MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Sheffield area pass 75.6% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 19 of 118 areas in Britain. From 749,011 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 7.5 times per 100 failures here, ranking 47 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Sheffield is 3.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 78,151 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Sheffield
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.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened14.8%
- 2.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements12.6%
- 3.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm10.7%
- 4.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning8.4%
- 5.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn8.1%
- 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.6%
- 7.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.8%
- 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.7%
- 9.A tyre cords visible or damaged6.4%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 10.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning6.0%
Corrosion
7.5 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Sheffield 47 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 requirements21.9% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged11.7% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured11.1% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.0% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.2% of tests
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded5.4% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Sheffield
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Sheffield
- Ford104,723 tests
- Vauxhall69,351 tests
- Volkswagen65,272 tests
- Toyota43,357 tests
- BMW37,947 tests
- Audi37,864 tests
- Nissan35,887 tests
- Mercedes-Benz33,248 tests
Yorkshire and the Humber
Other areas in Yorkshire and the Humber
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Sheffield?
- 75.6% of MOT tests in the Sheffield postcode area (S) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is above the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 75.3%. That ranks Sheffield 19 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Sheffield?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Sheffield is "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened", in 14.8% of failed tests, followed by "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements" (12.6%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 7.5 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 47 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Sheffield, 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 Sheffield 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 Sheffield 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