Know Your MOT
32.8%fail rate

Proton Gl common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 5,466 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 32.8% of MOT tests recorded on the Proton Gl in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is other, which makes up 32.7% of the Proton Gl's failures, followed by other, lamps & electrical, brakes, exhaust & emissions. 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

Other32.7% of failures

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

Lamps & electrical30.8% 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.

Brakes23.2% 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.

Exhaust & emissions22.8% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Tyres21.1% 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.

Suspension18.6% 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.

Failure rate by year

How the MOT failure rate varies by the car's year of first registration (older examples generally fail more as wear sets in).

199031.8% fail · 179 tests
199133.3% fail · 1,052 tests
199231.6% fail · 1,437 tests
199332.0% fail · 949 tests
199433.8% fail · 787 tests
199536.3% fail · 372 tests
199633.1% fail · 565 tests

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 lamps & electrical failure: Proton Gl headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Proton Gl headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Proton Gl headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Proton Gl brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Proton Gl brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Proton Gl brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Proton Gl exhaustSearch Amazon for Proton Gl exhaustaffiliate searchFind Proton Gl exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Proton Gl tyresSearch Amazon for Proton Gl tyresaffiliate searchFind Proton Gl tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Proton Gl suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Proton Gl suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Proton Gl suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Proton Persona MOT failures34.1% failure rateProton Gen-2 MOT failures29.5% failure rateProton Wira MOT failures30.0% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain