Tesla Model 3 MOT failure rate and common faults
86,641 Tesla Model 3 cars aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 15.6% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 13.3% of the time, which makes the Tesla Model 3 18% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
15.6%
failed first time
86,641 MOT tests in 2025
+18%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 13.3%
174 of 208
age adjusted rank
among cars; 1 fails least
146.2
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 59.5
What fails on a Tesla Model 3 MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Tesla Model 3 MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 73.9 |
| Tyres: has ply or cords exposed | Tyres | 49.8 |
| Tyres: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 34.6 |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 14.9 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 13.5 |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative | Tyres | 9.8 |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 9.8 |
| Tyres: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | Tyres | 7.1 |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 6.1 |
| Headlamp aim: too high | Lights and electrics | 5.7 |
Tesla Model 3 MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 19,080 | 14.7% | 11.4% | 42,700 |
| 2021 | 35,102 | 14.0% | 12.8% | 49,500 |
| 2020 | 22,143 | 17.9% | 14.1% | 56,100 |
| 2019 | 10,312 | 17.8% | 16.5% | 60,800 |
Advisories to look for in a Tesla Model 3's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Tesla Model 3, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge425.7
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened146.6
- Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement82.0
- Ball joint has slight play38.8
- Tyres: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing38.5
- Tyres: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords37.8
Checking a used Tesla Model 3 before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Tesla Model 3 fails more often than average on tyres and suspension. Start there.
Tyres
Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, inner edge included. Uneven wear points to worn suspension or out of line steering geometry.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Tesla Model 3 MOT questions
What is the Tesla Model 3 MOT failure rate?
15.6% of Tesla Model 3 cars failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 86,641 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 13.3% of the time, so the Tesla Model 3 was 18% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Tesla Model 3 MOT?
Tyres caused the most failure items, at 186 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm", recorded 73.9 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Tesla Model 3 year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2019 registrations did best: 17.8% failed against an average of 16.5% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Tesla Model 3 will pass?
No. These are averages across every Tesla Model 3 tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Other Tesla models
- Tesla Model Y16.2% failed
Ranked close to the Tesla Model 3
- Hyundai i30rank 171
- Nissan Pulsarrank 172
- Renault Twingorank 173
- Fiat Puntorank 175
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Tesla Model 3 cars of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.