Know Your MOT
4.5%fail rate

Marlin Roadstar common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 89 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 4.5% of MOT tests recorded on the Marlin Roadstar 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 Marlin Roadstar's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, other, suspension. 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.

Lamps & electrical25.0% 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.

Other25.0% of failures

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

Suspension25.0% 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.

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: Marlin Roadstar brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Marlin Roadstar brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Marlin Roadstar brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Marlin Roadstar headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Marlin Roadstar headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Marlin Roadstar headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Marlin Roadstar suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Marlin Roadstar suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Marlin Roadstar suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Marlin Roadster MOT failures19.7% failure rateMarlin Berlinetta MOT failures18.1% failure rateMarlin Sports MOT failures20.1% 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