An RAC expert revealed which MOT advisories could result in you car becoming ‘unroadworthy in a matter of weeks’ — so rather than leaving them until next year, you should get these issues sorted ASAP
An RAC employee has revealed 10 of the most common MOT advisories, which could have costly consequences if ignored.
New research by the automotive services specialists reveals that a whopping 44 per cent of UK motorists received one or more advisory notices during their most recent test. Common examples include tyres approaching the legal tread limit, brake pads that are nearly worn out, minor oil leaks, faulty lights and small patches of corrosion.
Despite these clear warnings being flagged, a significant number of drivers are not taking necessary action. The RAC’s survey found that almost four in 10 (39 per cent) drivers who receive advisories do not plan on getting all of them resolved before their next MOT. Even among those who didn’t receive any advisories at their last test, 22 per cent admitted to ignoring them in the past.
Advisory notices are not just bureaucratic paperwork — they are crucial indicators of potential safety issues. Ignoring them can have serious consequences. According to the RAC’s study, one in six drivers who ignored an MOT advisory in the past year ended up experiencing a breakdown or crash directly related to the unresolved issue, which works out at 17 per cent. Described by the RAC as ‘troubling advisory apathy among drivers’, this puts motorists, passengers and other road users at risk.
What is an MOT advisory?
The annual MOT test, required for most vehicles from their third year, checks essential safety components such as lights, seatbelts, tyres and brakes to ensure they meet legal standards. If a vehicle has ‘dangerous’ or ‘major’ defects, it fails the test and cannot be driven until repaired. However, minor issues are recorded as advisories, meaning they don’t cause an immediate failure but should be addressed quickly to keep the car roadworthy.
As RAC mobile servicing and repairs team leader Nick Mullender explains: “Advisories indicate the potential for the vehicle to become unroadworthy in a matter of months or even weeks, depending on the nature of the issue and how often the vehicle is driven. It’s crucial that drivers keep a close eye on any flagged items. An MOT is the most basic of roadworthiness checks, and no replacement for a proper service by a qualified mechanic.”
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Most common MOT advisories
According to the RAC’s survey of drivers between May 2024 and May 2025, the most frequently flagged advisories were:
- Tyres (e.g. tread, wear, quality): 42%
- Brakes (e.g. pads or discs): 34%
- Suspension: 22%
- Lights: 16%
- Corrosion: 14%
- Something else: 11%
- Exhaust system: 9%
- Steering: 8%
- Visibility (e.g. out of windscreen): 8%
- Other electrical system: 4%
- Bodywork damage: 2%
Ignoring advisories isn’t just a matter of paperwork — it can lead to real danger. In addition to the 17 per cent who suffered breakdowns or crashes, drivers risk fines up to £2,500, three penalty points and invalidating their insurance if they are caught driving a car with unresolved safety issues. Department for Transport figures show that in 2023, vehicle defects contributed to 39 deaths and 1,865 injuries on British roads — the highest casualty total since 2018.
While some advisories, like low tyre tread, are easy to check and fix, others including suspension or brake wear require a professional mechanic. The RAC urges drivers not to ignore these warnings: “By running the gauntlet and not acting on MOT advisories, drivers are at risk of knowingly getting behind the wheel of an unroadworthy vehicle. This is not only dangerous—it can also invalidate motor insurance cover.”
According to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) records for 2023-24, 34.7 million vehicles underwent MOT testing. Of these, 7.9 million initially failed, which accounted for 28.4 per cent of cases. Notably, 2.7 million of these failures were due to dangerous defects, suggesting that 7.9 per cent of vehicles on the road had serious faults posing a real risk to owners, passengers and other road users alike. In short, while advisories may seem minor, ignoring them could lead to major repairs, legal troubles, or even a serious accident.
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