Does the Vauxhall Tigra fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Vauxhall Tigra records 7.42 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 5.05 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+2.37, 95% interval +2.16 to +2.58). It ranks 106 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 Tigra by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Vauxhall Tigra is “A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play”, recorded 3,522 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 3,522 | 5.44 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 274 | 0.42 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 270 | 0.42 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 206 | 0.32 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 149 | 0.23 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 64,712 (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 Tigra gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
15.6% of Vauxhall Tigra MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 4,227 miles later (2,604 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 2,604 (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 Tigra 2004 · Vauxhall Tigra 2005 · Vauxhall Tigra 2006 · Vauxhall Tigra 2007 · Vauxhall Tigra 2008 · Vauxhall Tigra 2009 · Vauxhall Tigra in the Netherlands · Vauxhall Tigra by postcode area · Vauxhall Tigra body, chassis and structure failures · Vauxhall Tigra brakes failures · Vauxhall Tigra vehicle identification failures · Vauxhall Tigra lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Vauxhall Tigra noise, emissions and leaks failures · Vauxhall Tigra road wheels failures · Vauxhall Tigra seat belts and airbags failures · Vauxhall Tigra suspension failures · Vauxhall Tigra tyres failures · Vauxhall Tigra visibility failures