Recorded in
4.6% 11% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 5,078,147 records across 1,325 models.
Brakes → Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded
The Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded MOT failure is recorded in 4.6% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 5,078,147 records across 1,325 models. A typical repair costs £80–£180. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Chevrolet Spark records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
89%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£80–£180
Usually a garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed. Parts only: £25–£55.
What Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded means on an MOT
Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded 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 rigid brake pipes excessively corroded. Corrosion is judged on how much strength the affected part has left — surface rust alone does not fail, a weakened or holed part does. The failure is reported against that rule, so the page uses the tester's own wording.
How common is Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded on an MOT?
Recorded in 4.6% of every MOT test in our data — 5,078,147 records across 1,325 models. That is 5% in every hundred tests, which puts Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 5,078,147 records for this item, 10.7% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous) and 89.2% 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.
- Service brake performance excessively binding — 2,716,316 records
- Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength — 1,251,313 records
- Service brake performance excessively fluctuating — 1,133,944 records
- Flexible brake hoses ferrule excessively corroded — 1,090,431 records
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated — 456,577 records
- Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength — 366,545 records
- Pipes and hoses excessively corroded — 109,598 records
- Spring mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength — 103,390 records
- Rigid brake pipes leaking on a hydraulic braking system — 46,161 records
- Rigid brake pipes inadequately clipped or supported — 43,668 records
What does it cost to fix Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded?
A typical repair on this item costs £80–£180 at UK prices, and it is usually a 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 £80–£180. The part itself is £25–£55. Most of that bracket is the labour of getting at it.
A rigid brake pipe — the metal line that carries fluid from the master cylinder to each wheel. "Excessively corroded" means pitted enough that it could burst under braking pressure.
What to buy
A length of copper-nickel (kunifer) pipe and the unions, flared to length by the fitter. Copper-nickel is the standard replacement precisely because it does not corrode the way the original steel pipe did.
| Tier | Brands | Parts price |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe and unions Sold by the metre; the fittings are pence. | Kunifer / copper-nickel 3/16" | £12–£30 |
| Pre-flared sections typical Saves the fitter time, which you pay for either way. | Automec, Kunifer kits | £25–£55 |
| Full set Worth it on a car where one pipe has gone: the rest are the same age. | Automec vehicle-specific sets | £60–£140 |
Fitting it
Garage job. Flaring, routing and bleeding is 1.5–3 hours depending on access — the pipe is £20 and the bracket is £80–£180 for exactly that reason.
On the retest
No corrosion pitting, no leaks at the unions, and the pipe secure in its clips.
Parts prices are our survey of UK parts prices in 2025 money, for rigid brake pipes excessively corroded, and exclude delivery, VAT differences and the fitting — see how these figures are built.
Models that record Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Chevrolet Spark and Suzuki Wagon-R+ lead the list: Chevrolet Spark records it on 35.0% 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 | Chevrolet Spark | 35.0% | 56,981 | — |
| 2 | Suzuki Wagon-R+ | 31.6% | 29,904 | — |
| 3 | Vauxhall Astravan | 30.6% | 30,363 | — |
| 4 | Ford Fusion | 27.5% | 197,378 | 6.0× · year by year → |
| 5 | Nissan Pixo | 27.1% | 42,149 | — |
| 6 | Mitsubishi L200 | 26.4% | 299,746 | 5.7× · year by year → |
| 7 | Vauxhall Agila | 25.6% | 135,177 | 5.6× · year by year → |
| 8 | Rover 75 | 25.5% | 28,888 | — |
| 9 | Ford Transit | 24.5% | 1,107,503 | 5.3× · year by year → |
| 10 | Chevrolet Matiz | 23.7% | 40,193 | — |
| 11 | Suzuki Splash | 23.3% | 66,622 | — |
| 12 | Mercedes-Benz Clk | 22.9% | 104,027 | 5.0× · year by year → |
| 13 | Volkswagen Bora | 22.7% | 20,051 | — |
| 14 | Nissan Primastar | 22.4% | 37,947 | 4.9× · year by year → |
| 15 | Hyundai Getz | 21.8% | 76,810 | — |
| 16 | Suzuki Alto | 21.8% | 174,258 | 4.7× · year by year → |
| 17 | Toyota Hi-Ace | 21.8% | 24,156 | 4.7× · year by year → |
| 18 | Peugeot 107 | 21.7% | 422,184 | 4.7× · year by year → |
| 19 | Vauxhall Vectra | 21.5% | 117,307 | 4.7× · year by year → |
| 20 | Mercedes-Benz Clc | 21.0% | 33,693 | — |
Which years of car record Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 6.4% |
| 2011 | 5.6% |
| 2012 | 4.9% |
| 2013 | 4.3% |
| 2014 | 3.2% |
| 2015 | 2.2% |
| 2016 | 1.6% |
| 2017 | 1.0% |
| 2018 | 0.6% |
| 2019 | 0.3% |
| 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 Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded
How common is Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded on an MOT?
It is recorded in 4.6% of all MOT tests — 5,078,147 records across 1,325 models.
Does Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
10.7% of the records for it are a fail, 0.0% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 89.2% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded most often?
Chevrolet Spark and Suzuki Wagon-R+ head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Chevrolet Spark records it on 35.0%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded?
Typically £80–£180 fitted, and it is usually a garage job. That is an estimate from reported prices, not a DVSA figure.
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