Harley-Davidson Flhcs common MOT failures and failure rate
What a Harley-Davidson Flhcs fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.
About 6.6% of Harley-Davidson Flhcss fail their MOT, and the same handful of items account for most of it.
The most common failure is brakes, which makes up 18.9% of the Harley-Davidson Flhcs's failures, followed by brakes, registration plate, lamps & electrical, tyres. 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
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.
A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.
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.
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.
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.
This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.
Failure rate by year
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.
Other models
Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain