Know Your MOT

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

Updated 05 September 2026.

6.7%fail rate

Bsa Star MOT failure rate

What a Bsa Star fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical16.7% 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.

Other16.7% of failures

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

Suspension11.1% 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.

Brakes5.6% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Tyres5.6% 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.

Steering5.6% 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. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Bsa Star headlight and indicator bulbsShop Bsa Star headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Bsa Star headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Bsa Star suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Bsa Star suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Bsa Star suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Bsa Star brake pads and discsShop Bsa Star brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Bsa Star brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Bsa Star tyresShop Bsa Star tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Bsa Star tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Bsa Star steering track rod endsShop Bsa Star steering track rod ends on AmazonaffiliateFind Bsa Star steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Bsa models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestBsa A10 MOT failures7.9% failure rateBsa Bantam MOT failures10.3% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Bsa Star?

It fails 6.7% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 267 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 16.7% of this model's failures.