Recorded in
0.7% 99% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 746,737 records across 1,316 models.
Suspension → Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
The Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt MOT failure is recorded in 0.7% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 746,737 records across 1,316 models. A typical repair costs £18–£45. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Suzuki Baleno records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
0%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£18–£45
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed.
What Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt means on an MOT
Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt is an MOT inspection item in the suspension section of the manual. The tester records it when they see the condition the description names — here, when ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt. How serious it is — fail, minor or advisory — comes from the tester's grading in the DVSA record, not from this page.
How common is Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt on an MOT?
Recorded in 0.7% of every MOT test in our data — 746,737 records across 1,316 models. That is 1% in every hundred tests, which puts Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 746,737 records for this item, 99.0% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous), 1.0% were put right at the test and recorded as rectified.
Other things testers write about this item
Testers do not all write the same thing. These are the exact DVSA strings from the records for this item, each with how many tests it was written on — the page's keyword vocabulary comes straight from them.
- Ball joint excessively worn — 3,470,178 records
- Track rod end ball joint has excessive play — 2,183,629 records
- Linkage ball joints ball joint excessively worn — 2,013,659 records
- Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated — 1,383,630 records
- Joints constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt — 1,297,258 records
- Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt — 821,335 records
- Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt — 664,430 records
- Linkage ball joint dust cover ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated — 610,734 records
- Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt — 288,384 records
- Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt — 183,899 records
What does it cost to fix Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt?
A typical repair on this item costs £18–£45 at UK prices, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. The bracket is our estimate from reported prices and parts, rather than a DVSA figure — see how it is built on the method page.
How the price brackets are built · full repair cost list · add it to your fail-sheet total.
Models that record Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Suzuki Baleno and Jaguar S-Type lead the list: Suzuki Baleno records it on 7.0% of its tests. The rate, not the volume, is what matters here — a model with 20,000 tests can outrank one with a million.
| # | Model | Rate | Tests | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suzuki Baleno | 7.0% | 23,277 | — |
| 2 | Jaguar S-Type | 6.3% | 39,418 | — |
| 3 | Vauxhall Mokka | 5.0% | 830,268 | 7.1× · year by year → |
| 4 | Jaguar Xk | 4.5% | 26,752 | — |
| 5 | Volkswagen Fox | 3.5% | 104,121 | — |
| 6 | Jaguar Xkr | 3.4% | 26,440 | — |
| 7 | Ford Fusion | 3.2% | 197,378 | 4.6× · year by year → |
| 8 | Jaguar Xj | 2.8% | 68,454 | 3.9× · year by year → |
| 9 | Mazda Bongo | 2.7% | 30,855 | — |
| 10 | Audi A2 | 2.4% | 25,108 | — |
| 11 | Hyundai Getz | 2.3% | 76,810 | — |
| 12 | Peugeot 206 | 2.2% | 175,269 | 3.1× · year by year → |
| 13 | Mitsubishi Colt | 2.1% | 86,319 | — |
| 14 | Hyundai I20 | 2.1% | 442,812 | — |
| 15 | Jaguar Xf | 2.0% | 340,736 | — |
| 16 | SEAT Altea | 2.0% | 51,016 | — |
| 17 | Kia Rio | 1.9% | 355,416 | 2.7× · year by year → |
| 18 | Mercedes-Benz Clc | 1.9% | 33,693 | — |
| 19 | Volkswagen Eos | 1.8% | 46,785 | — |
| 20 | Volkswagen Touran | 1.8% | 272,345 | 2.6× · year by year → |
Which years of car record Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.9% |
| 2012 | 0.8% |
| 2013 | 0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.6% |
| 2015 | 0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.4% |
| 2017 | 0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0% |
These are rates by year of registration from 2010 to 2024, not year of test, so the curve mostly reflects age — a recent car has barely been to a test station. Compare models at the same age instead.
Frequently asked questions about Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
How common is Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt on an MOT?
It is recorded in 0.7% of all MOT tests — 746,737 records across 1,316 models.
Does Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
99.0% of the records for it are a fail, 1.0% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 0.0% are advisories. In short, it is a fail (Major or Dangerous) most of the time.
Which cars record Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt most often?
Suzuki Baleno and Jaguar S-Type head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Suzuki Baleno records it on 7.0%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt?
Typically £18–£45 fitted, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. That is an estimate from reported prices, not a DVSA figure.
All 83 common MOT failures → Repair cost list → Failed your MOT? What now →