Does the Mitsubishi Lancer fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Mitsubishi Lancer records 9.27 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 4.68 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+4.59, 95% interval +4.37 to +4.81). It ranks 67 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 Mitsubishi Lancer by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Mitsubishi Lancer is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 4,803 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 4,803 | 6.35 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 1,087 | 1.44 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 455 | 0.60 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 433 | 0.57 |
| Power steering fluid level below minimum mark | 75 | 0.10 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 75,633 (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 Mitsubishi Lancer gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
19.9% of Mitsubishi Lancer MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 5,088 miles later (3,060 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,060 (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
Mitsubishi Lancer 2001 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2002 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2003 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2004 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2005 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2006 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2007 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2008 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2009 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2010 · Mitsubishi Lancer 2011 · Mitsubishi Lancer in Norway · Mitsubishi Lancer in Finland · Mitsubishi Lancer in the Netherlands · Mitsubishi Lancer by postcode area · Mitsubishi Lancer body, chassis and structure failures · Mitsubishi Lancer brakes failures · Mitsubishi Lancer vehicle identification failures · Mitsubishi Lancer lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Mitsubishi Lancer noise, emissions and leaks failures · Mitsubishi Lancer road wheels failures · Mitsubishi Lancer seat belts and airbags failures · Mitsubishi Lancer suspension failures · Mitsubishi Lancer tyres failures · Mitsubishi Lancer visibility failures