Recorded in
8.6% 12% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 9,547,771 records across 2,185 models.
Brakes → Brake pads under 1.5 mm
The Brake pads under 1.5 mm MOT failure is recorded in 8.6% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 9,547,771 records across 2,185 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 Nissan X-Trail records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
88%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£18–£45
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed. Parts only: £25–£40.
What Brake pads under 1.5 mm means on an MOT
Brake pads under 1.5 mm 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 pads under 1.5 mm. 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 pads under 1.5 mm on an MOT?
Recorded in 8.6% of every MOT test in our data — 9,547,771 records across 2,185 models. That is 9% in every hundred tests, which puts Brake pads under 1.5 mm among the most items testers record.
Of the 9,547,771 records for this item, 11.6% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous), 0.3% were put right at the test and recorded as rectified and 88.0% 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.
- Brake pads worn down to wear indicator — 155,528 records
- Brake linings less than 1.5 mm thick — 45,497 records
- Brake pads incorrectly mounted — 10,950 records
- Brake pads contaminated — 7,403 records
- Brake pads missing — 2,233 records
What does it cost to fix Brake pads under 1.5 mm?
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.
The part behind the price
Fitted, our bracket is £18–£45. The part itself is £25–£40. The price is mostly the part.
A set of brake pads — the friction material that clamps the disc. Under 1.5 mm of lining is a fail; most pads start at 10–12 mm.
What to buy
One set per axle (four pads). Check the discs before fitting: new pads against a scored or lipped disc wear unevenly and can still fail the retest.
| Tier | Brands | Parts price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget More dust and noise; adequate stopping. | Pattern pads | £15–£25 |
| Mid-range typical What most factors will hand you for a daily driver. | Brembo, Febi, TRW, Delphi | £25–£40 |
| Premium Low-dust compounds; worthwhile on alloy wheels. | ATE, Textar, Bosch, EBC | £40–£65 |
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
The easiest job on this list: one hour an axle with a caliper wind-back tool on the rear. Many owners do it themselves, which is why the fitted bracket starts at £18.
On the retest
Lining thickness at every pad, and that the pads are not contaminated with oil or brake fluid.
Parts prices are our survey of UK parts prices in 2025 money, for brake pads under 1.5 mm, and exclude delivery, VAT differences and the fitting — see how these figures are built.
Models that record Brake pads under 1.5 mm most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Nissan X-Trail and Ford Grand C-Max lead the list: Nissan X-Trail records it on 16.9% 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 | Nissan X-Trail | 16.9% | 331,848 | — |
| 2 | Ford Grand C-Max | 16.9% | 131,861 | — |
| 3 | Volvo XC40 | 16.7% | 151,276 | — |
| 4 | Nissan Qashqai | 16.6% | 2,089,595 | — |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Eclipse | 16.1% | 30,000 | — |
| 6 | Ford S-Max | 16.1% | 276,065 | — |
| 7 | Kia Carens | 15.7% | 55,416 | — |
| 8 | Volvo V90 | 15.4% | 33,448 | — |
| 9 | Ford Edge | 15.3% | 29,304 | — |
| 10 | Kia Sportage | 15.3% | 925,209 | — |
| 11 | Renault Kadjar | 15.3% | 237,203 | — |
| 12 | Citroen C4 Grand Picasso | 15.2% | 53,329 | — |
| 13 | Mitsubishi Asx | 15.2% | 95,389 | — |
| 14 | Chevrolet Captiva | 15.1% | 23,583 | — |
| 15 | Nissan Pulsar | 15.1% | 76,355 | — |
| 16 | Hyundai IX35 | 14.7% | 195,456 | — |
| 17 | SsangYong Tivoli | 14.5% | 22,644 | — |
| 18 | Hyundai Tucson | 14.5% | 423,299 | — |
| 19 | Nissan Elgrand | 14.4% | 48,135 | — |
| 20 | Hyundai I800 | 14.4% | 29,941 | — |
Which years of car record Brake pads under 1.5 mm
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 8.1% |
| 2011 | 8.4% |
| 2012 | 8.6% |
| 2013 | 8.9% |
| 2014 | 9.1% |
| 2015 | 9.5% |
| 2016 | 9.7% |
| 2017 | 10.3% |
| 2018 | 10.5% |
| 2019 | 9.8% |
| 2020 | 7.5% |
| 2021 | 6.2% |
| 2022 | 4.6% |
| 2023 | 2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.3% |
| 2025 | 0.4% |
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 pads under 1.5 mm
How common is Brake pads under 1.5 mm on an MOT?
It is recorded in 8.6% of all MOT tests — 9,547,771 records across 2,185 models.
Does Brake pads under 1.5 mm fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
11.6% of the records for it are a fail, 0.3% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 88.0% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Brake pads under 1.5 mm most often?
Nissan X-Trail and Ford Grand C-Max head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Nissan X-Trail records it on 16.9%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Brake pads under 1.5 mm?
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.
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