Know Your MOT
30.3%fail rate

Dutton Sports common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 300 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 30.3% of MOT tests recorded on the Dutton Sports in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is brakes, which makes up 53.8% of the Dutton Sports's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, suspension, 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

Brakes53.8% 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.

Lamps & electrical45.1% 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.

Suspension25.3% 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.

Steering16.5% 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.

Other13.2% of failures

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

Visibility/wipers11.0% 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.

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 brakes failure: Dutton Sports brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Dutton Sports brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Dutton Sports brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Dutton Sports headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Dutton Sports headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Dutton Sports headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Dutton Sports suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Dutton Sports suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Dutton Sports suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Dutton Sports steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Dutton Sports steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Dutton Sports steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Dutton Sports wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Dutton Sports wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Dutton Sports wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Dutton Phaeton MOT failures19.8% failure rateDutton Melos MOT failures20.8% failure rateDutton Pheaton MOT failures19.6% 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