Know Your MOT
27.2%fail rate

Morris Travller common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 81 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 27.2% of MOT tests recorded on the Morris Travller in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is suspension, which makes up 54.5% of the Morris Travller's failures, followed by suspension, lamps & electrical, brakes, steering. 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

Suspension54.5% 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 & electrical54.5% 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.

Brakes40.9% 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.

Steering18.2% 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.

Visibility/wipers13.6% 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.

Body & structure9.1% 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.

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 suspension failure: Morris Travller suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Morris Travller suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Morris Travller suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Morris Travller headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Morris Travller headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Morris Travller headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Morris Travller brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Morris Travller brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Morris Travller brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Morris Travller steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Morris Travller steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Morris Travller steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Morris Travller wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Morris Travller wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Morris Travller wiper blades 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