Does the Vauxhall Combo fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Vauxhall Combo records 6.85 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 5.11 expected for a lcv of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+1.74, 95% interval +1.68 to +1.81). It ranks 125 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 Combo by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Vauxhall Combo is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 22,203 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 22,203 | 3.67 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 4,763 | 0.79 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 3,717 | 0.62 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 2,732 | 0.45 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 1,592 | 0.26 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 604,297 (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 Vauxhall Combo gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
17.0% of Vauxhall Combo MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 5,738 miles later (17,801 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,801 (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
Vauxhall Combo 1998 · Vauxhall Combo 1999 · Vauxhall Combo 2000 · Vauxhall Combo 2001 · Vauxhall Combo 2002 · Vauxhall Combo 2003 · Vauxhall Combo 2004 · Vauxhall Combo 2005 · Vauxhall Combo 2006 · Vauxhall Combo 2007 · Vauxhall Combo 2008 · Vauxhall Combo 2009 · Vauxhall Combo 2010 · Vauxhall Combo 2011 · Vauxhall Combo 2012 · Vauxhall Combo 2013 · Vauxhall Combo 2014 · Vauxhall Combo 2015 · Vauxhall Combo 2016 · Vauxhall Combo 2017 · Vauxhall Combo 2018 · Vauxhall Combo 2019 · Vauxhall Combo 2020 · Vauxhall Combo in the Netherlands · Vauxhall Combo by postcode area · Vauxhall Combo body, chassis and structure failures · Vauxhall Combo brakes failures · Vauxhall Combo vehicle identification failures · Vauxhall Combo lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Vauxhall Combo noise, emissions and leaks failures · Vauxhall Combo road wheels failures · Vauxhall Combo seat belts and airbags failures · Vauxhall Combo suspension failures · Vauxhall Combo tyres failures · Vauxhall Combo visibility failures