Recorded in
2.5% 28% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 2,716,316 records across 1,630 models.
Brakes → Service brake binding
The Service brake binding MOT failure is recorded in 2.5% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 2,716,316 records across 1,630 models. A typical repair costs £60–£150. 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
71%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£60–£150
Usually a garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed.
What Service brake binding means on an MOT
Service brake binding 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 service brake binding. 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 Service brake binding on an MOT?
Recorded in 2.5% of every MOT test in our data — 2,716,316 records across 1,630 models. That is 2% in every hundred tests, which puts Service brake binding in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 2,716,316 records for this item, 28.4% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous), 0.3% were put right at the test and recorded as rectified and 71.2% 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.
- Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded — 5,078,147 records
- Service brake performance excessively fluctuating — 1,133,944 records
- Flexible brake hoses ferrule excessively corroded — 1,090,431 records
- Service brake imbalance across an axle — 761,770 records
- Flexible brake hoses excessively deteriorated — 456,577 records
- Service brake performance efficiency below requirements — 151,800 records
- Service brake performance grabbing severely — 123,741 records
- Service brake performance lagging in operation — 89,239 records
- Service brake efficiency (trikes, quads and pre-68 vehicles) imbalanced across an axle — 44,792 records
- Service brake imbalance across an axle by more than 50% — 40,317 records
What does it cost to fix Service brake binding?
A typical repair on this item costs £60–£150 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.
Models that record Service brake binding most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Chevrolet Spark and Nissan Almera lead the list: Chevrolet Spark records it on 12.3% 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 | 12.3% | 56,981 | — |
| 2 | Nissan Almera | 11.7% | 54,229 | — |
| 3 | Honda Fr-V | 9.8% | 27,466 | — |
| 4 | Hyundai Coupe | 9.2% | 23,404 | — |
| 5 | Peugeot 107 | 9.1% | 422,184 | 3.6× · year by year → |
| 6 | SEAT Altea | 9.0% | 51,016 | 3.6× · year by year → |
| 7 | Chevrolet Aveo | 8.8% | 35,342 | — |
| 8 | Peugeot 407 | 8.3% | 35,494 | — |
| 9 | Chevrolet Matiz | 8.0% | 40,193 | — |
| 10 | Peugeot 207 | 7.9% | 541,214 | — |
| 11 | Citroen C2 | 7.5% | 43,091 | — |
| 12 | Hyundai IX35 | 7.4% | 195,456 | — |
| 13 | Suzuki Splash | 7.3% | 66,622 | — |
| 14 | Mazda Mx-5 | 7.3% | 275,662 | 2.9× · year by year → |
| 15 | Hyundai Amica | 7.2% | 22,089 | — |
| 16 | Audi A2 | 7.1% | 25,108 | — |
| 17 | Vauxhall Agila | 7.0% | 135,177 | 2.8× · year by year → |
| 18 | Renault Megane | 7.0% | 411,704 | 2.8× · year by year → |
| 19 | Peugeot 307 | 6.8% | 121,498 | — |
| 20 | Volkswagen Bora | 6.8% | 20,051 | — |
Which years of car record Service brake binding
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.1% |
| 2011 | 3.6% |
| 2012 | 3.2% |
| 2013 | 2.8% |
| 2014 | 2.5% |
| 2015 | 1.9% |
| 2016 | 1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.9% |
| 2018 | 0.6% |
| 2019 | 0.5% |
| 2020 | 0.3% |
| 2021 | 0.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2% |
| 2023 | 0.1% |
| 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 Service brake binding
How common is Service brake binding on an MOT?
It is recorded in 2.5% of all MOT tests — 2,716,316 records across 1,630 models.
Does Service brake binding fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
28.4% of the records for it are a fail, 0.3% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 71.2% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Service brake binding most often?
Chevrolet Spark and Nissan Almera head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Chevrolet Spark records it on 12.3%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Service brake binding?
Typically £60–£150 fitted, and it is usually a 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 →