Recorded in
1.3% 21% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 1,400,474 records across 1,106 models.
Lamps & electrics → Indicator incorrect colour
The Indicator incorrect colour MOT failure is recorded in 1.3% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 1,400,474 records across 1,106 models. A typical repair costs £3–£12. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Citroen C2 records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
73%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£3–£12
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed.
What Indicator incorrect colour means on an MOT
Indicator incorrect colour is an MOT inspection item in the lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the manual. The tester records it when they see the condition the description names — here, when indicator incorrect colour. 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 Indicator incorrect colour on an MOT?
Recorded in 1.3% of every MOT test in our data — 1,400,474 records across 1,106 models. That is 1% in every hundred tests, which puts Indicator incorrect colour in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 1,400,474 records for this item, 21.4% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous), 5.5% were put right at the test and recorded as rectified and 73.1% 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.
- Side repeaters incorrect colour — 193,595 records
- Individual direction indicators not working — 180,373 records
- All direction indicators incorrect colour — 94,419 records
- Individual direction indicators lens defective which has no effect on emitted light — 52,893 records
- Individual direction indicators adversely affected by the operation of another lamp — 34,103 records
- Position lamp incorrect colour — 24,478 records
- All direction indicators not working — 15,608 records
- Individual direction indicators with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning — 14,550 records
- Individual direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute — 7,986 records
- All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute — 7,627 records
What does it cost to fix Indicator incorrect colour?
A typical repair on this item costs £3–£12 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 Indicator incorrect colour most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Citroen C2 and Skoda Roomster lead the list: Citroen C2 records it on 6.9% 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 | Citroen C2 | 6.9% | 43,091 | — |
| 2 | Skoda Roomster | 6.2% | 69,027 | 4.8× · year by year → |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz Clc | 6.2% | 33,693 | — |
| 4 | Renault Scenic | 5.9% | 145,797 | 4.5× · year by year → |
| 5 | Nissan NV200 | 5.6% | 100,010 | 4.3× · year by year → |
| 6 | Audi A2 | 5.6% | 25,108 | — |
| 7 | Fiat Punto | 5.5% | 226,310 | 4.2× · year by year → |
| 8 | Ford Fusion | 5.2% | 197,378 | 4.0× · year by year → |
| 9 | Volkswagen Fox | 5.1% | 104,121 | — |
| 10 | Volvo S40 | 5.1% | 69,731 | 3.9× · year by year → |
| 11 | Vauxhall Vectra | 5.1% | 117,307 | 3.9× · year by year → |
| 12 | Volvo C30 | 5.0% | 88,275 | — |
| 13 | Citroen C3 | 4.7% | 710,132 | 3.6× · year by year → |
| 14 | Peugeot 207 | 4.6% | 541,214 | — |
| 15 | Toyota Verso | 4.6% | 97,744 | 3.5× · year by year → |
| 16 | Citroen C3 Picasso | 4.5% | 23,169 | — |
| 17 | Vauxhall Agila | 4.5% | 135,177 | 3.5× · year by year → |
| 18 | Rover 75 | 4.5% | 28,888 | — |
| 19 | Citroen Xsara | 4.4% | 106,340 | 3.4× · year by year → |
| 20 | Renault Grand Scenic | 4.4% | 83,873 | 3.4× · year by year → |
Which years of car record Indicator incorrect colour
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.8% |
| 2011 | 2.6% |
| 2012 | 2.6% |
| 2013 | 1.5% |
| 2014 | 0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.4% |
| 2017 | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.1% |
| 2022 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0% |
These are rates by year of registration from 2010 to 2023, 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 Indicator incorrect colour
How common is Indicator incorrect colour on an MOT?
It is recorded in 1.3% of all MOT tests — 1,400,474 records across 1,106 models.
Does Indicator incorrect colour fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
21.4% of the records for it are a fail, 5.5% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 73.1% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Indicator incorrect colour most often?
Citroen C2 and Skoda Roomster head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Citroen C2 records it on 6.9%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Indicator incorrect colour?
Typically £3–£12 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 →