MOT advisory: brake pad wearing thin
Brake pads are meant to wear away. This note means the tester could see the friction material getting low, but it was still above the point where the MOT fails it. It's one of the most useful advisories to read, because it tells you a cost is coming soon.
What the tester wrote
| Result | Wording on the certificate | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Advisory | Brake pads: wearing thin | Advisory (pass) |
| Fail | Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick | Dangerous |
What the MOT checks
A pad worn down to its wear indicator is a Major fail, and a pad below 1.5mm is graded Dangerous. Above that, the tester can note that the pad is wearing thin.
Many pads have a metal tab that squeals when they're nearly gone, and some cars have a sensor that lights a warning on the dashboard. The warning light on its own isn't a reason to fail.
"An illuminated brake wear indicator is not a reason for failure."
MOT inspection manual, section 1.1.13 Brake linings and pads. Read it on GOV.UK
How common it is
In 2025 this advisory was recorded on 7.6 in every 100 class 4 MOT tests (2,518,718 of 33,210,774 initial tests). The matching fail was recorded on 1.8 in every 100 (586,632 tests).
The typical car with the advisory was 9 years old with 72,192 miles recorded (medians).
| Age at test (years) | Advisory per 100 tests | Fail per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | 3.7 | 0.7 |
| 3 | 5.2 | 0.9 |
| 4-5 | 8.4 | 1.5 |
| 6-7 | 9.3 | 1.9 |
| 8-10 | 8.4 | 2.0 |
| 11-14 | 7.7 | 2.1 |
| 15-19 | 6.8 | 1.9 |
| 20+ | 4.6 | 1.2 |
'Not shown' means fewer than 1,000 tests in that cell, or a cell hidden so a small one can't be worked out. Age is years since first registration. First MOTs often happen just before a car's third birthday, so many show as age 2.
Does it turn into a fail at the next MOT?
We followed the same cars to their next MOT, 240 to 500 days later (2,206,880 pairs where this advisory was recorded). 6.4% failed on the same item at that next test, and another 16.8% had the same advisory again.
Among cars where this item wasn't noted at all, 1.47% failed on it next time. So a car with this advisory was about 4 times as likely to fail on this item as one without it.
These are averages. We can't see what owners did between tests. Some will have fixed the problem, and a fix would stop a fail.
What it usually means for a buyer
Cars with this note were several times more likely than cars without it to fail on worn pads at the next MOT. That's not alarming. It just means the note is accurate.
If the car you're looking at has this advisory and the seller hasn't changed the pads since, expect to do it. Ask whether the brake wear light has come on, and listen for scraping or squealing on the test drive.
Typical fix
Replace the pads on both wheels of the axle. If the discs are near their limit, a garage may suggest doing discs and pads together. Prices vary a lot by car and garage, so get a quote for the specific car.
Questions to ask the seller
You can read any car's MOT history, including advisories, free on GOV.UK. Our MOT advisory decoder explains the other notes in plain English.
Related MOT advisories
- Brake disc worn, pitted or scored
- Rigid brake pipe corroded
- All MOT defects
- Buying a used car: a step-by-step guide
Sources and limitations
- Data: DVSA MOT anonymised test results and test items, class 4 initial tests, 2024 and 2025 (open data on GOV.UK). Same DVSA data as our MOT dataset.
- 'Fail' includes items fixed at the test centre within an hour (pass after rectification).
- An advisory is a tester's judgement on the day. Testers differ, and some problems are not visible at an MOT.
- The MOT is not a service and does not check the engine, clutch or gearbox in depth.
- Counts under 1,000 are not shown. No make or model figures are published here.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), MOT Anonymised Data. Analysis by CarCheckHQ. Not endorsed by DVSA.
Written by the CarCheckHQ team.