# Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive to the extent that safe steering is affected — Vehicle inspection defect categories: MOT major, minor and dangerous verdicts

For Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive to the extent that safe steering is affected, category is Dangerous; inspection item number is 2.3; defect reference is (a)(ii); inspection item is Steering play; authority is DVSA MOT (cars, vans and passenger vehicles, classes 3, 4, 5, 7), recorded from its source on 2026-08-06.

- **Defect:** Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive to the extent that safe steering is affected _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Category:** Dangerous _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Inspection item number:** 2.3
- **Defect reference:** (a)(ii) _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Inspection item:** Steering play
- **Authority:** DVSA MOT (cars, vans and passenger vehicles, classes 3, 4, 5, 7) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> (a)(ii) | Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive to the extent that safe steering is affected | Dangerous

## Source

- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/2-steering

Last verified: 2026-08-06. Review by: 2027-02-02.
Part of [Vehicle inspection defect categories: MOT major, minor and dangerous verdicts](https://referencesource.org/vehicle-inspection-defect-categories/).