Does the Vauxhall Cavalier fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Vauxhall Cavalier records 4.52 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 7.67 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.15, 95% interval −3.73 to −2.58). It ranks 560 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 Vauxhall Cavalier by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Vauxhall Cavalier is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 216 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 216 | 2.46 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 85 | 0.97 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 55 | 0.63 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 8,791 (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
Vauxhall Cavalier by postcode area · Vauxhall Cavalier body, chassis and structure failures · Vauxhall Cavalier brakes failures · Vauxhall Cavalier vehicle identification failures · Vauxhall Cavalier lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Vauxhall Cavalier noise, emissions and leaks failures · Vauxhall Cavalier seat belts and airbags failures · Vauxhall Cavalier suspension failures · Vauxhall Cavalier tyres failures · Vauxhall Cavalier visibility failures