Vehicle recalls added to new style MoT
Wed, 19 Jul 2023
Real-time vehicle recall information will be added to the MoT from today as part of a significant update to the annual MoT test.
The DVSA will incorporate real-time vehicle recall information into its MoT Testing Service (MTS), MoT history, MoT reminders and MoT certificates.
The new service will offer testers and motorists access to daily recall data in real-time, a breakthrough made possible by major manufacturers such as Toyota, VW and Ford who have agreed to share their data. These manufacturers collectively cover nearly half of the vehicles currently on the roads.
For vehicles built by manufacturers that have not yet participated in data sharing, existing monthly data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) will continue to be available.
However, it's important to note that this information will not be included on the MoT certificate. Nevertheless, testers and the public will have access to the most up-to-date vehicle recall data for approximately half of all vehicles.
"I’m really pleased that we can announce this latest improvement to our MoT digital services," said Chris Price, Head of MoT Policy at the DVSA.
"We want to improve safety recall rectification rates. Providing ‘live’ recall data and marking it more available to motorists, will further help everyone to keep vehicles safe to drive on Britain’s roads."
The improvements to the MoT digital services will be implemented in two phases. Starting from July 19th, real-time recall data will be visible on MTS and motorists' MoT certificates.
Then from August onwards, when customers bring their vehicles for testing, testers will be prompted through an 'interrupt' screen if there's an outstanding safety recall. This feature will allow testers to encourage customers to address the recall promptly to ensure their vehicles are safe to drive.
For vehicles produced by participating manufacturers with outstanding safety recalls, an additional section on the MoT certificate will indicate the current recall status automatically.
Further improvements to the MoT history and MoT reminder services will be introduced from August 16th. The MoT history service will prompt motorists when they enter a vehicle registration with an outstanding recall. Similarly, the MoT reminders service will now include prompts about outstanding recalls alongside the MoT reminder.
DVSA highlights that it is the responsibility of vehicle manufacturers to inform the vehicle keeper about any recalls, while motorists should ensure that any necessary recall work is completed.
The real-time data provided by manufacturers covers 47% of vehicles with outstanding recalls and includes:
- Toyota
- Ford
- Honda
- MAN Trucks
- MV Agusta
- Hymer
- Volkwagen Group
- Mercedes-Benz Cars and Vans
