Know Your MOT
3.3%fail rate

Rolls Royce 20hp common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Rolls Royce 20hp fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 627 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 3.3% of MOT tests recorded on the Rolls Royce 20hp 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 33.3% of the Rolls Royce 20hp's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, suspension, tyres. 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

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.

Lamps & electrical23.8% 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.

Suspension9.5% 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.

Tyres4.8% 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.

Visibility/wipers4.8% 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.

Steering4.8% 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.

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: Rolls Royce 20hp brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Rolls Royce 20hp headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Rolls Royce 20hp suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Rolls Royce 20hp tyresSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp tyresaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Rolls Royce 20hp wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp wiper blades on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Rolls Royce 20hp steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Rolls Royce 20hp steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Rolls Royce 20hp steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit MOT failures20.8% failure rateRolls Royce Silver Shadow MOT failures19.9% failure rateRolls Royce Phantom MOT failures6.5% 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