Does the Rover 25 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Rover 25 records 4.03 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 6.53 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.50, 95% interval −2.74 to −2.25). It ranks 515 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 Rover 25 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Rover 25 is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 999 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 999 | 2.34 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 228 | 0.53 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 192 | 0.45 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 162 | 0.38 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 30 | 0.07 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 42,778 (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 Rover 25 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
9.2% of Rover 25 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 2,788 miles later (2,330 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,330 (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
Rover 25 2000 · Rover 25 2001 · Rover 25 2002 · Rover 25 2003 · Rover 25 2004 · Rover 25 2005 · Rover 25 2006 · Rover 25 by postcode area · Rover 25 body, chassis and structure failures · Rover 25 brakes failures · Rover 25 vehicle identification failures · Rover 25 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Rover 25 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Rover 25 road wheels failures · Rover 25 seat belts and airbags failures · Rover 25 suspension failures · Rover 25 tyres failures · Rover 25 visibility failures