Know Your MOT
24.0%fail rate

Herald Sk common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 254 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 24.0% of MOT tests recorded on the Herald Sk in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 32.8% of the Herald Sk's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, brakes, other, tyres. 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

Lamps & electrical32.8% 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.

Brakes27.9% 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.

Other16.4% of failures

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

Tyres1.6% 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.

Suspension1.6% 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.

Steering1.6% 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. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Herald Sk headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Herald Sk headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Herald Sk headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Herald Sk brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Herald Sk brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Herald Sk brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Herald Sk tyresSearch Amazon for Herald Sk tyresaffiliate searchFind Herald Sk tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Herald Sk suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Herald Sk suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Herald Sk suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Herald Sk steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Herald Sk steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Herald Sk steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Herald Maverick MOT failures28.3% failure rateHerald Brat MOT failures25.1% failure rateHerald Sm MOT failures28.4% 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