Know Your MOT
21.6%fail rate

Daimler Super common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 11,881 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 21.6% of MOT tests recorded on the Daimler Super in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is suspension, which makes up 28.7% of the Daimler Super's failures, followed by suspension, lamps & electrical, tyres, brakes. 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

Suspension28.7% 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.

Lamps & electrical27.4% 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.

Tyres19.2% 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.

Brakes18.9% 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.

Visibility/wipers12.2% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Body & structure11.8% of failures

Structural failures are corrosion in load-bearing areas, sharp edges, or insecure panels. These are inspection-and-welding jobs rather than a simple bolt-on part, so weigh them against the value of the car.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

199525.8% fail · 194 tests
199721.8% fail · 675 tests
199822.6% fail · 2,829 tests
199924.9% fail · 1,515 tests
200020.8% fail · 1,165 tests
200121.0% fail · 1,702 tests
200221.8% fail · 812 tests
200513.2% fail · 144 tests
200617.3% fail · 1,182 tests
200719.6% fail · 362 tests
200814.0% fail · 215 tests

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 suspension failure: Daimler Super suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Daimler Super suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Daimler Super suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Daimler Super headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Daimler Super headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Daimler Super headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Daimler Super tyresSearch Amazon for Daimler Super tyresaffiliate searchFind Daimler Super tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Daimler Super brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Daimler Super brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Daimler Super brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Daimler Super wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Daimler Super wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Daimler Super wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Daimler V8 MOT failures22.5% failure rateDaimler Limousine MOT failures25.0% failure rateDaimler Sovereign MOT failures24.8% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

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