West Midlands · postcode area WV
Wolverhampton MOT pass rate
Data updated
Quick answer
Cars tested in the Wolverhampton area pass 74.1% of MOTs once results are adjusted for their age and mileage, above the national average of 72.2% and ranking 35 of 118 areas in Britain. From 224,430 tests. Corrosion items are recorded 2.8 times per 100 failures here, ranking 81 of 118 for rust.
At a glance
Pass rate, adjusted for age and mileage
Wolverhampton is 1.9 percentage points above the national pass rate once the age and mileage of its cars are accounted for. Cars here average 76,565 miles at test.
DVSA recorded wording
What cars fail on in Wolverhampton
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 requirements14.2%
- 2.A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened12.1%
- 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 functioning9.5%
- 5.Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen7.4%
- 6.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.3%
- 7.A tyre cords visible or damaged7.3%
Tyre ply or cord exposed, or the casing separating explained
- 8.Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning7.1%
- 9.A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc6.6%
- 10.A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn6.4%
Corrosion
2.8 corrosion items per 100 failed tests
That ranks Wolverhampton 81 of 118 areas for rust. Corrosion is a minor factor in this area's failures, as it is across most of urban England. What structural corrosion means for the test.
Warnings without a failure
Most common advisories
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements23.1% of tests
- A tyre seriously damaged12.3% of tests
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured12.0% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm9.8% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn7.4% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users5.7% of tests
How wear changes the picture
Pass rate by age in Wolverhampton
What gets tested here
Makes most often tested in Wolverhampton
- Ford27,826 tests
- Vauxhall21,541 tests
- Volkswagen17,562 tests
- BMW14,680 tests
- Mercedes-Benz13,774 tests
- Audi13,031 tests
- Nissan12,407 tests
- Peugeot10,674 tests
West Midlands
Other areas in West Midlands
- Birmingham76.7% · #12
- Coventry75.2% · #23
- Dudley74.2% · #34
- Hereford74.0% · #38
- Worcester73.6% · #43
- Telford72.9% · #50
- Shrewsbury72.7% · #52
- Walsall72.0% · #60
- Stoke-on-Trent70.8% · #78
Common questions
- What is the MOT pass rate in Wolverhampton?
- 74.1% of MOT tests in the Wolverhampton postcode area (WV) 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 74.2%. That ranks Wolverhampton 35 of 118 areas in England, Scotland and Wales.
- What do cars fail on most in Wolverhampton?
- The item recorded most often on failed tests in Wolverhampton is "Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements", in 14.2% of failed tests, followed by "A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened" (12.1%). Corrosion-related items are recorded 2.8 times per 100 failed tests here, which ranks 81 of 118 areas for corrosion.
- Does this mean garages here are stricter or more lenient?
- No. The figure describes the cars tested in Wolverhampton, 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 Wolverhampton 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 Wolverhampton 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