2016 Hyundai Tucson 1.6L Petrol · BU16 ENM

The most recent MOT from July 2025 shows a pass after a same-day fail, with advisories for play in the steering rack inner joints and the nearside front drag link end ball joint. The fail was due to a split track rod end dust cover on the offside, a missing rear wiper blade, and an engine oil level at minimum. Those immediate issues were clearly fixed to get the pass, but the remaining play in the steering components is the key worry. The steering wear is not a one-off. While earlier tests recorded no suspension defects, the 2025 test picked up slight play in two separate front-end joints after a dust cover had already failed on a third. That points to steady degradation in the steering linkage as the car has passed 100,000 miles. This looks like a worsening pattern rather than a stable or improving one, because multiple joints are now starting to show wear in the same area. The mileage is roughly typical for a 10-year-old car, at about 10,000 miles per year. That sort of regular use doesn't by itself flag abuse or neglect, but it means consumables like steering joints, suspension bushes and brakes are well into their service life. The advisory in 2023 about poor handbrake readings and excessive lever travel is a separate note of caution.