Know Your MOT
21.4%fail rate

Morris 12 common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Morris 12 fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 84 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 21.4% of MOT tests recorded on the Morris 12 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 27.8% of the Morris 12'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

Brakes27.8% 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 & electrical22.2% 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.

Other16.7% of failures

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

Suspension16.7% 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.

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.

Tyres11.1% 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.

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: Morris 12 brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Morris 12 brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Morris 12 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Morris 12 headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Morris 12 headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Morris 12 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Morris 12 suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Morris 12 suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Morris 12 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Morris 12 wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Morris 12 wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Morris 12 wiper blades on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Morris 12 tyresSearch Amazon for Morris 12 tyresaffiliate searchFind Morris 12 tyres on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Morris Minor MOT failures27.5% failure rateMorris Minor Traveller MOT failures27.6% failure rateMorris MINI MOT failures22.3% 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