Does the MCC Smart fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The MCC Smart records 5.99 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 6.62 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−0.63, 95% interval −1.20 to −0.06). It ranks 309 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 MCC Smart by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the MCC Smart is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 194 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 194 | 2.46 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 186 | 2.36 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 54 | 0.68 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,894 (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
MCC Smart 2001 · MCC Smart 2002 · MCC Smart 2003 · MCC Smart 2004 · MCC Smart 2005 · MCC Smart by postcode area · MCC Smart body, chassis and structure failures · MCC Smart brakes failures · MCC Smart vehicle identification failures · MCC Smart lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · MCC Smart noise, emissions and leaks failures · MCC Smart seat belts and airbags failures · MCC Smart suspension failures · MCC Smart tyres failures · MCC Smart visibility failures