Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Freight Rover 280, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

19.2%fail rate

Freight Rover 280 MOT failure rate

What a Freight Rover 280 fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Exhaust & emissions60.0% 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.

Lamps & electrical60.0% 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.

Brakes50.0% 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.

Fuel system40.0% of failures

Fuel-system failures are leaks or an insecure filler cap.

Tyres20.0% 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.

Body & structure20.0% 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.

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 exhaust & emissions failure: Freight Rover 280 exhaustShop Freight Rover 280 exhaust on AmazonaffiliateFind Freight Rover 280 exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Freight Rover 280 headlight and indicator bulbsShop Freight Rover 280 headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Freight Rover 280 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Freight Rover 280 brake pads and discsShop Freight Rover 280 brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Freight Rover 280 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Freight Rover 280 tyresShop Freight Rover 280 tyres on AmazonaffiliateFind Freight Rover 280 tyres on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Freight Rover Sherpa MOT failures34.2% failure rateFreight Rover Camper MOT failures29.2% failure rateFreight Rover 255 MOT failures26.1% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Freight Rover 280?

It fails 19.2% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 52 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is exhaust & emissions, at 60.0% of this model's failures.