The picture
Santa Fe: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 43,594 MOT tests, the Santa Fe returns 72.8% first-time pass — below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A split CV-joint boot and a lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 88,173, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
2,205 occurrences · 5.1% of tests
- 02
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
2,009 occurrences · 4.6% of tests
- 03
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
1,755 occurrences · 4.0% of tests
- 04
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
1,607 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 05
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
1,596 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 06
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1,376 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1,337 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 08
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,213 occurrences · 2.8% of tests
- 09
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
1,060 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 10
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
758 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£88–£275
If every one of this Santa FE's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a Santa FE?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a Santa FE and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.