Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Oldsmobile Cutlas, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

15.9%fail rate

Oldsmobile Cutlas MOT failure rate

What a Oldsmobile Cutlas fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical36.4% 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.

Brakes36.4% 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.

Suspension27.3% 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.

Seat belts9.1% of failures

Seat-belt failures are frays, cuts, corroded anchorages, or a belt that will not lock under a sharp pull or retract properly.

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. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Oldsmobile Cutlas headlight and indicator bulbsShop Oldsmobile Cutlas headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Oldsmobile Cutlas headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Oldsmobile Cutlas brake pads and discsShop Oldsmobile Cutlas brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Oldsmobile Cutlas brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Oldsmobile Cutlas suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Oldsmobile Cutlas suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Oldsmobile Cutlas suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Oldsmobile Cutlas seat beltsShop Oldsmobile Cutlas seat belts on AmazonaffiliateFind Oldsmobile Cutlas seat belts on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Oldsmobile Cutlass MOT failures15.7% failure rateOldsmobile Delta MOT failures19.8% failure rateOldsmobile Silhouette MOT failures35.7% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Oldsmobile Cutlas?

It fails 15.9% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 69 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is lamps & electrical, at 36.4% of this model's failures.