Does the Rover 45 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Rover 45 records 5.16 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 (−1.37, 95% interval −1.68 to −1.06). It ranks 407 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 45 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Rover 45 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 544 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 544 | 2.08 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 411 | 1.57 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 216 | 0.82 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 72 | 0.27 |
| Power steering fluid level below minimum mark | 37 | 0.14 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 26,183 (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
Rover 45 2000 · Rover 45 2001 · Rover 45 2002 · Rover 45 2003 · Rover 45 2004 · Rover 45 2005 · Rover 45 by postcode area · Rover 45 body, chassis and structure failures · Rover 45 brakes failures · Rover 45 vehicle identification failures · Rover 45 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Rover 45 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Rover 45 road wheels failures · Rover 45 seat belts and airbags failures · Rover 45 suspension failures · Rover 45 tyres failures · Rover 45 visibility failures