Know Your MOT
24.0%fail rate

Proton Proton common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 75 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 24.0% of MOT tests recorded on the Proton Proton in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 38.9% of the Proton Proton's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, brakes, tyres, 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

Lamps & electrical38.9% 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.

Brakes33.3% 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.

Tyres16.7% 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.

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.

Other16.7% of failures

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

Exhaust & emissions11.1% 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.

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 Proton headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Proton Proton headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Proton Proton headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Proton Proton brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Proton Proton brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Proton Proton brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Proton Proton tyresSearch Amazon for Proton Proton tyresaffiliate searchFind Proton Proton tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Proton Proton suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Proton Proton suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Proton Proton suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Proton Proton exhaustSearch Amazon for Proton Proton exhaustaffiliate searchFind Proton Proton exhaust 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 ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain