Regular DVSA inspections are a crucial part of keeping your fleet compliant, roadworthy, and safe. But every operator knows that even minor issues can lead to costly failures, downtime, or re-inspections. The good news? Most of the common causes of failure are entirely avoidable, with the right preparation and a bit of forward planning.
Here at D&D Fleet Engineering, we’ve supported hundreds of vehicles through inspections and MOTs. We know what the inspectors are looking for — and where things often go wrong. In this post, we’ll break down the five most common causes of DVSA inspection failures and how to stay ahead of them.
Brake System Faults
Why it fails: Worn pads, poor adjustment, air leaks, or low braking efficiency can all result in immediate failure.
How to avoid it: Schedule regular brake inspections and maintenance. Pay attention to air leaks, warning lights, or uneven braking. During MOT preparations, we use brake rollers and thorough testing to check for performance issues before they become a problem.
Lighting & Signalling Issues
Why it fails: Faulty bulbs, broken lenses, poor alignment or inoperative indicators are common — and easily spotted by inspectors.
How to avoid it: Don’t wait for a driver defect report — include a quick check of all lights during routine maintenance. We recommend a full lighting inspection as part of every pre-MOT preparation to make sure your vehicle isn’t let down by a simple blown bulb.
Steering & Suspension Wear
Why it fails: Worn kingpins, loose components, damaged suspension arms or leaking shock absorbers are frequent offenders.
How to avoid it: Steering and suspension components wear over time, especially in high-mileage or urban-service vehicles. During our safety inspections, we check kingpins, bushings, linkages and shock absorbers thoroughly — and we’ll always flag developing issues before they become dangerous.
Excessive Emissions or Warning Lights
Why it fails: Emission system faults or dashboard warnings (including MIL lights) will result in an automatic failure.
How to avoid it: Keep an eye on AdBlue usage, DPF regeneration cycles, and warning lamps. We use diagnostic equipment to identify faults in emission control systems — including ULEZ retrofit systems like Excalibre and Proventia — and can fix issues before the MOT date.
Chassis & Structural Corrosion
Why it fails: Corrosion near mounting points, brackets or suspension components is a serious safety issue and an immediate red flag.
How to avoid it: Don’t rely on a visual once-over — many issues are missed until it’s too late. At D&D, we inspect high-risk areas during MOT prep and offer honest, straightforward advice on what can be patched, treated or replaced.
How D&D Fleet Engineering Can Help
We know inspections can be stressful — but they don’t need to be. Our MOT Preparation & Presentation service is designed to give you total peace of mind. We inspect your vehicle to DVSA standards, carry out any necessary repairs, and even present it for test if needed. It’s one less thing for you to worry about — and one more reason operators across the UK trust us with their fleet.