Major defects are faults that may compromise the vehicle's safety, affect the environment or put other road users at risk (EU Directive 2014/45/EU) – for example ineffective brakes, heavily corroded load-bearing parts or emissions over the limit.
Does a car with major defects pass?
No. The car fails: the defects must be repaired and the car brought back for a re-inspection within the period set by law. The inspection station and the regulations in force give the exact conditions.
Does the re-inspection change Caropen's figure?
No. The first-time pass rate uses first attempts only, so a car with major defects stays a "fail" even after it is repaired.
Which models get this verdict most often?
Compare the reliability rankings by age band, or a model's years – for example Opel Astra. Every model page shows the share of major and dangerous defects.