Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Ariel 650, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

9.6%fail rate

Ariel 650 MOT failure rate

What a Ariel 650 fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical57.1% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Other28.6% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Suspension14.3% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Ariel 650 headlight and indicator bulbsShop Ariel 650 headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Ariel 650 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Ariel 650 suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Ariel 650 suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Ariel 650 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Ariel Atom MOT failures9.6% failure rateAriel Arrow MOT failures5.8% failure rateAriel Red MOT failures7.6% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Ariel 650?

It fails 9.6% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 73 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 57.1% of this model's failures.