Know Your MOT
14.9%fail rate

Humber Scepter common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 121 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 14.9% of MOT tests recorded on the Humber Scepter 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 50.0% of the Humber Scepter's failures, followed by brakes, suspension, lamps & electrical, 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

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.

Suspension44.4% 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 & electrical33.3% 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.

Tyres16.7% 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 & structure11.1% 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.

Visibility/wipers11.1% 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: Humber Scepter brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Humber Scepter brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Humber Scepter brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Humber Scepter suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Humber Scepter suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Humber Scepter suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Humber Scepter headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Humber Scepter headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Humber Scepter headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Humber Scepter tyresSearch Amazon for Humber Scepter tyresaffiliate searchFind Humber Scepter tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Humber Scepter wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Humber Scepter wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Humber Scepter wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Humber Sceptre MOT failures21.1% failure rateHumber Hawk MOT failures15.4% failure rateHumber S. Snipe MOT failures15.9% 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