Know Your MOT
4.6%fail rate

Bsa Firebird common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Bsa Firebird fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 197 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 4.6% of MOT tests recorded on the Bsa Firebird in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 22.2% of the Bsa Firebird's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, exhaust & emissions, tyres, steering. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical22.2% 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.

Exhaust & emissions11.1% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Tyres11.1% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Steering11.1% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

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. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Bsa Firebird headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Bsa Firebird headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Bsa Firebird headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Bsa Firebird exhaustSearch Amazon for Bsa Firebird exhaustaffiliate searchFind Bsa Firebird exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Bsa Firebird tyresSearch Amazon for Bsa Firebird tyresaffiliate searchFind Bsa Firebird tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Bsa Firebird steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Bsa Firebird steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Bsa Firebird steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Bsa A10 MOT failures7.8% failure rateBsa Bantam MOT failures10.2% failure rateBsa C15 MOT failures10.0% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain