The MOT Files

Section 5 · Axles, wheels, tyres and suspension

5.2.1 Road wheel and hub

Manual indexed

Quick answer

Sub-section 5.2.1 of the MOT inspection manual covers road wheel and hub and lists 4 defects, 2 of them Dangerous. A reference like "(5.2.1 (a)(i))" on a certificate points to the matching row below. The most recorded is "A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud", about 0.9 times per 100 failed tests.

Official wording

The defect clauses

  1. 5.2.1 (a)(i)Major0.9 per 100 fails

    A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud

    Wheel nut, bolt or stud missing, loose or damaged explained: what it means and what puts it right

  2. 5.2.1 (a)(ii)Dangerousunder 0.1 per 100 fails

    A wheel with more than one loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud

    Wheel nut, bolt or stud missing, loose or damaged explained: what it means and what puts it right

  3. 5.2.1 (b)(i)Major

    A spigot mounted wheel hub excessively worn or damaged

    Road wheel damaged, distorted or cracked explained: what it means and what puts it right

  4. 5.2.1 (b)(ii)Dangerous

    A spigot mounted wheel hub worn or damaged to the extent that wheel security is adversely affected

    Road wheel damaged, distorted or cracked explained: what it means and what puts it right

Wording and categories reproduced from the DVSA inspection manual under the Open Government Licence. Frequencies are items per 100 failed class 4 tests across the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset; a clause with no figure was not recorded often enough to appear in any model’s top forty failure items. 4 of 4 clauses link to our own explanation.

Grading

What the categories mean

Dangerous
a direct and immediate risk to road safety or the environment. The vehicle fails and must not be driven until repaired, even to a garage.
Major
a defect that affects safety, the environment or other road users. The vehicle fails.
Minor
a defect with no significant effect on safety or the environment. Recorded on the certificate; the vehicle passes.

The full guide to defect grading

Section 5

Other sub-sections of axles, wheels, tyres and suspension

All sections of the manual

Common questions

What does 5.2.1 mean on an MOT certificate?
It refers to sub-section 5.2.1 of the MOT inspection manual, "Road wheel and hub", within section 5, axles, wheels, tyres and suspension. The letter or letters after it — (a), (b)(i) and so on — identify the specific defect from the 4 listed here. 2 of them are graded Dangerous, 2 Major and 0 Minor.
Which road wheel and hub defect is recorded most often?
"A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud" (5.2.1 (a)(i)), recorded about 0.9 times per 100 failed MOT tests nationally. We explain what it means and what puts it right.
Does a Minor defect fail the MOT?
No. a defect with no significant effect on safety or the environment. Recorded on the certificate; the vehicle passes. Major and Dangerous defects fail. A Dangerous defect also means the car must not be driven until it is repaired.