Recorded in
9.4% 1% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 10,496,042 records across 2,226 models.
Brakes → Brake discs seriously weakened
The Brake discs seriously weakened MOT failure is recorded in 9.4% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 10,496,042 records across 2,226 models. A typical repair costs £45–£110. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Citroen DS3 records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
99%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£45–£110
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed. Parts only: £60–£90.
What Brake discs seriously weakened means on an MOT
Brake discs seriously weakened is an MOT inspection item in the brakes section of the manual. The tester records it when they see the condition the description names — here, when brake discs seriously weakened. Brakes are checked for the minimum material the manual requires and for even, effective operation, so a thin pad or a scored disc can fail the car. The failure is reported against that rule, so the page uses the tester's own wording.
How common is Brake discs seriously weakened on an MOT?
Recorded in 9.4% of every MOT test in our data — 10,496,042 records across 2,226 models. That is 9% in every hundred tests, which puts Brake discs seriously weakened among the most items testers record.
Of the 10,496,042 records for this item, 1.4% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous) and 98.6% are advisories that did not fail the car.
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.
- Coil spring corroded so that its cross sectional area is reduced and seriously weakened — 4,052,861 records
- Brake discs significantly and obviously worn — 3,269,739 records
- Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened — 2,708,307 records
- Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened — 1,564,573 records
- Other suspension component corroded and seriously weakened — 357,489 records
- Chassis condition or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting — 282,617 records
- Macpherson strut corroded and seriously weakened — 275,770 records
- Anti-roll bar corroded and seriously weakened — 200,018 records
- Mounting corroded and seriously weakened — 75,186 records
- Attachment bracket and mounting mounting damaged and seriously weakened — 60,808 records
What does it cost to fix Brake discs seriously weakened?
A typical repair on this item costs £45–£110 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.
The part behind the price
Fitted, our bracket is £45–£110. The part itself is £60–£90. The price is mostly the part.
A brake disc — the spinning disc the pads clamp. "Seriously weakened" (worn, pitted or scored) means metal has been lost, so the disc is thinner than its minimum and cannot shed heat as designed.
What to buy
Two per axle: discs are always replaced as a pair, one per side. New pads at the same time is not an upsell — old pads bed into the old disc surface and will not sit flat on a new one.
| Tier | Brands | Parts price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Usually fine on a light car; expect more noise. | Pattern and own-brand discs | £40–£60 |
| Mid-range typical The sensible default for most cars. | Brembo, Febi, TRW, Delphi | £60–£90 |
| Premium Coated hubs resist the corrosion that starts this failure. | ATE, Textar, Bosch, EBC | £90–£125 |
The premium tier can cost more than the whole typical bracket above. That is not a mistake in either figure: the bracket is a typical job, not a ceiling — and this is the point at which a quote tells you which part the garage is actually fitting.
Fitting it
DIY for a competent home mechanic (jack, stands, a 7 mm hex and a torque wrench). A garage charges 1–1.5 hours an axle, which is most of the fitted bracket.
On the retest
Disc thickness above the minimum stamped on the disc, no deep scoring, and pads with lining left.
Parts prices are our survey of UK parts prices in 2025 money, for brake discs seriously weakened, and exclude delivery, VAT differences and the fitting — see how these figures are built.
Models that record Brake discs seriously weakened most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Citroen DS3 and Peugeot 307 lead the list: Citroen DS3 records it on 21.4% 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 | Citroen DS3 | 21.4% | 290,266 | — |
| 2 | Peugeot 307 | 20.7% | 121,498 | — |
| 3 | Citroen C3 Picasso | 20.1% | 23,169 | — |
| 4 | Peugeot 407 | 20.1% | 35,494 | — |
| 5 | Renault Megane | 19.5% | 411,704 | 2.1× · year by year → |
| 6 | Renault Laguna | 19.4% | 36,948 | 2.0× · year by year → |
| 7 | Citroen C3 Aircross | 19.2% | 94,473 | — |
| 8 | Vauxhall Crossland X Griffin | 18.2% | 22,851 | — |
| 9 | Jaguar E-Pace | 18.0% | 77,498 | — |
| 10 | Citroen DS4 | 17.8% | 40,514 | — |
| 11 | Renault Scenic | 17.8% | 145,797 | — |
| 12 | Vauxhall Crossland | 17.5% | 143,077 | — |
| 13 | Jaguar X-Type | 17.4% | 93,223 | — |
| 14 | Skoda Roomster | 17.3% | 69,027 | — |
| 15 | Alfa Romeo Mito | 17.2% | 73,057 | — |
| 16 | DS DS3 | 17.1% | 118,672 | — |
| 17 | MG Hs | 17.0% | 34,155 | — |
| 18 | Renault Grand Scenic | 17.0% | 83,873 | — |
| 19 | Fiat Bravo | 16.7% | 20,488 | — |
| 20 | Volkswagen Bora | 16.5% | 20,051 | — |
Which years of car record Brake discs seriously weakened
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.5% |
| 2011 | 11.3% |
| 2012 | 10.9% |
| 2013 | 10.6% |
| 2014 | 10.2% |
| 2015 | 9.6% |
| 2016 | 9.1% |
| 2017 | 8.3% |
| 2018 | 7.4% |
| 2019 | 6.6% |
| 2020 | 5.9% |
| 2021 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 3.5% |
| 2023 | 1.5% |
| 2024 | 0.4% |
| 2025 | 1.1% |
These are rates by year of registration from 2010 to 2025, 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 Brake discs seriously weakened
How common is Brake discs seriously weakened on an MOT?
It is recorded in 9.4% of all MOT tests — 10,496,042 records across 2,226 models.
Does Brake discs seriously weakened fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
1.4% of the records for it are a fail, 0.0% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 98.6% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Brake discs seriously weakened most often?
Citroen DS3 and Peugeot 307 head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Citroen DS3 records it on 21.4%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Brake discs seriously weakened?
Typically £45–£110 fitted, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. That is an estimate from reported prices, not a DVSA figure.
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