Southend-on-Sea MOT pass rate

At a glance

Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage

Southend-on-Sea is 4.4 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 73,330 miles at test.

DVSA recorded wording

What cars fail on in Southend-on-Sea

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. 1.Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements12.5%

   Tyre worn close to the legal limit explained

2. 2.a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm11.3%

   Brake drum or shoe worn or contaminated explained

3. 3.A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning9.2%

   Lamp not working explained

4. 4.A tyre seriously damaged8.9%

   Tyre damaged or deteriorated explained

5. 5.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened8.0%

   Road spring broken or fractured explained

6. 6.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.9%

   Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained

7. 7.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.3%

   Stop lamp not working explained

8. 8.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.2%

   Wiper or washer not working properly explained

9. 9.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.2%

   Suspension arm bush worn explained

10. 10.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.0%

    Driveshaft CV joint gaiter split or missing explained

Warnings without a failure

Most common advisories

• Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements20.4% of tests
• A tyre seriously damaged13.7% of tests
• a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.1% of tests
• Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured8.5% of tests
• A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn5.8% of tests
• Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users4.7% of tests

How wear changes the picture

Pass rate by age in Southend-on-Sea

What gets tested here

Makes most often tested in Southend-on-Sea

• Ford69,390 tests
• Vauxhall22,026 tests
• Nissan16,689 tests
• Volkswagen16,634 tests
• Mercedes-Benz16,364 tests
• BMW16,282 tests
• Audi13,248 tests
• Peugeot12,393 tests

East of England

Other areas in East of England

• Luton76.5% · #15
• Hemel Hempstead75.3% · #22
• Chelmsford74.7% · #30
• Peterborough74.3% · #32
• St Albans74.0% · #36
• Stevenage73.8% · #40
• Ipswich73.1% · #46
• Colchester73.0% · #48
• Cambridge72.9% · #51
• Norwich72.4% · #56
• Watford71.2% · #69

All 118 areas ranked

Common questions

What is the MOT pass rate in Southend-on-Sea?

76.7% of MOT tests in the Southend-on-Sea postcode area (SS) 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 76.8%. That ranks Southend-on-Sea 13 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.

What do cars fail on most in Southend-on-Sea?

The item recorded most often on failed tests in Southend-on-Sea is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 12.5% of failed tests, followed by "a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm" (11.3%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 0.0 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 103 of 118 areas for corrosion.

Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?

No. The figure describes the cars tested in Southend-on-Sea, 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 Southend-on-Sea 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 Southend-on-Sea 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.