Does the Alfa Romeo 156 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Alfa Romeo 156 records 3.63 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 6.46 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.83, 95% interval −3.29 to −2.38). It ranks 537 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Alfa Romeo 156 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Alfa Romeo 156 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 151 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 151 | 1.24 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 116 | 0.95 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 84 | 0.69 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 12,164 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Alfa Romeo 156 2002 · Alfa Romeo 156 2003 · Alfa Romeo 156 2004 · Alfa Romeo 156 2005 · Alfa Romeo 156 in the Netherlands · Alfa Romeo 156 by postcode area · Alfa Romeo 156 body, chassis and structure failures · Alfa Romeo 156 brakes failures · Alfa Romeo 156 vehicle identification failures · Alfa Romeo 156 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Alfa Romeo 156 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Alfa Romeo 156 road wheels failures · Alfa Romeo 156 seat belts and airbags failures · Alfa Romeo 156 suspension failures · Alfa Romeo 156 tyres failures · Alfa Romeo 156 visibility failures