Does the Vauxhall Nova fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Vauxhall Nova records 2.07 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 7.70 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−5.63, 95% interval −6.34 to −4.91). It ranks 635 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 Nova by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Vauxhall Nova is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 39 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 39 | 0.68 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 38 | 0.66 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 31 | 0.54 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,740 (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 Nova by postcode area · Vauxhall Nova body, chassis and structure failures · Vauxhall Nova brakes failures · Vauxhall Nova lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Vauxhall Nova noise, emissions and leaks failures · Vauxhall Nova seat belts and airbags failures · Vauxhall Nova suspension failures · Vauxhall Nova tyres failures · Vauxhall Nova visibility failures