South East · postcode area SL
Slough MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Slough area pass 78.8% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, well above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 3 of 118 areas in Britain. From 238,855 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failures here, ranking 94 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
78.8%adjusted · 78.5% raw238,855 tests · rank 3 of 118
Slough is 6.5 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 78,144 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Slough
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 requirements11.7%
- 2.A tyre seriously damaged9.6%
- 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.1%
- 4.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.9%
- 5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened7.6%
- 6.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.4%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 7.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen6.8%
- 8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning5.8%
- 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc5.8%
- 10.A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage5.4%
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements20.5% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged11.2% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured10.9% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm8.5% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.8% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users6.2% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Slough
3–5 yrsreg. 2020–202289%
6–8 yrsreg. 2017–201985%
9–11 yrsreg. 2014–201680%
12–14 yrsreg. 2011–201373%
15+ yrsreg. 2010 and earlier68%
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Slough
- Ford25,591 tests
- Volkswagen25,145 tests
- BMW20,657 tests
- Mercedes-Benz18,994 tests
- Vauxhall17,710 tests
- Audi13,008 tests
- Nissan11,809 tests
- Toyota11,686 tests
South East
Other areas in South East
- Dartford76.2% · #17
- Medway74.8% · #27
- Reading74.7% · #31
- Milton Keynes74.3% · #33
- Redhill74.0% · #37
- Oxford73.0% · #49
- Tonbridge72.7% · #55
- Canterbury72.2% · #58
- Guildford72.1% · #59
- Southampton71.8% · #63
- Portsmouth68.8% · #94
- Brighton68.0% · #104
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Slough?
- 78.8% of MOT tests in the Slough postcode area (SL) pass once results are adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, which is well above the national average of 72.2%. The unadjusted figure is 78.5%. That ranks Slough 3 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Slough?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Slough is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 11.7% of failed tests, followed by "A tyre seriously damaged" (9.6%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 94 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Slough, 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 Slough 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 Slough 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