Recorded in
0.9% 100% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 1,008,291 records across 1,449 models.
Brakes → Brake efficiency below requirements
The Brake efficiency below requirements MOT failure is recorded in 0.9% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 1,008,291 records across 1,449 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 Hyundai Coupe records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
0%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£45–£110
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed.
What Brake efficiency below requirements means on an MOT
Brake efficiency below requirements 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 efficiency below requirements. 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 Brake efficiency below requirements on an MOT?
Recorded in 0.9% of every MOT test in our data — 1,008,291 records across 1,449 models. That is 1% in every hundred tests, which puts Brake efficiency below requirements in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 1,008,291 records for this item, 100.0% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous).
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.
- Rbt (sp) efficiency less than 50% of the required value — 167,380 records
What does it cost to fix Brake efficiency below requirements?
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.
Models that record Brake efficiency below requirements most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Hyundai Coupe and Toyota MR2 lead the list: Hyundai Coupe records it on 9.5% 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 | Hyundai Coupe | 9.5% | 23,404 | — |
| 2 | Toyota MR2 | 8.6% | 24,989 | — |
| 3 | Vauxhall Tigra | 6.0% | 26,978 | — |
| 4 | Nissan Primastar | 5.3% | 37,947 | — |
| 5 | Renault Master | 4.7% | 59,319 | 5.2× · year by year → |
| 6 | Volkswagen Crafter | 4.6% | 25,501 | — |
| 7 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | 4.1% | 81,825 | 4.6× · year by year → |
| 8 | Citroen Relay | 4.1% | 53,684 | 4.6× · year by year → |
| 9 | MG Tf | 4.0% | 32,921 | — |
| 10 | Vauxhall Vectra | 3.9% | 117,307 | — |
| 11 | Hyundai IX20 | 3.8% | 102,232 | — |
| 12 | Hyundai I30 | 3.8% | 388,487 | 4.2× · year by year → |
| 13 | Vauxhall Astravan | 3.6% | 30,363 | — |
| 14 | Audi A2 | 3.5% | 25,108 | — |
| 15 | Rover 75 | 3.4% | 28,888 | — |
| 16 | Hyundai IX35 | 3.3% | 195,456 | — |
| 17 | Volkswagen Bora | 3.1% | 20,051 | — |
| 18 | Mercedes-Benz Vito | 3.1% | 319,824 | 3.4× · year by year → |
| 19 | Kia Carens | 3.1% | 55,416 | — |
| 20 | Fiat Scudo | 3.1% | 32,202 | — |
Which years of car record Brake efficiency below requirements
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1.6% |
| 2011 | 1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.1% |
| 2013 | 0.9% |
| 2014 | 0.8% |
| 2015 | 0.6% |
| 2016 | 0.4% |
| 2017 | 0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.1% |
| 2022 | 0.1% |
| 2023 | 0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.1% |
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 Brake efficiency below requirements
How common is Brake efficiency below requirements on an MOT?
It is recorded in 0.9% of all MOT tests — 1,008,291 records across 1,449 models.
Does Brake efficiency below requirements fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
100.0% of the records for it are a fail, 0.0% 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 Brake efficiency below requirements most often?
Hyundai Coupe and Toyota MR2 head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Hyundai Coupe records it on 9.5%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Brake efficiency below requirements?
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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