Does the Chevrolet Kalos fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Chevrolet Kalos records 13.37 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.99 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+8.38, 95% interval +7.96 to +8.80). It ranks 13 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 Chevrolet Kalos by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Chevrolet Kalos is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 2,450 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 2,450 | 8.48 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 627 | 2.17 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 516 | 1.79 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 168 | 0.58 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 33 | 0.11 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 28,900 (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
If a Chevrolet Kalos gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
29.3% of Chevrolet Kalos MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 4,201 miles later (839 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 839 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Chevrolet Kalos 2005 · Chevrolet Kalos 2006 · Chevrolet Kalos 2007 · Chevrolet Kalos 2008 · Chevrolet Kalos in Finland · Chevrolet Kalos in the Netherlands · Chevrolet Kalos by postcode area · Chevrolet Kalos body, chassis and structure failures · Chevrolet Kalos brakes failures · Chevrolet Kalos vehicle identification failures · Chevrolet Kalos lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Chevrolet Kalos noise, emissions and leaks failures · Chevrolet Kalos road wheels failures · Chevrolet Kalos seat belts and airbags failures · Chevrolet Kalos suspension failures · Chevrolet Kalos tyres failures · Chevrolet Kalos visibility failures