Know Your MOT
16.8%fail rate

Sachs Roadster common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 2,945 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 16.8% of MOT tests recorded on the Sachs Roadster 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 28.2% of the Sachs Roadster's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, other, 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

Brakes28.2% 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.

Lamps & electrical19.8% 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.

Other17.5% of failures

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

Suspension9.9% 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.

Tyres9.3% 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.

Steering5.4% 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.

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).

200123.7% fail · 114 tests
200218.7% fail · 683 tests
200317.3% fail · 1,194 tests
200413.6% fail · 589 tests
200516.6% fail · 157 tests
200614.9% fail · 101 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 brakes failure: Sachs Roadster brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Sachs Roadster brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Sachs Roadster brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Sachs Roadster headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Sachs Roadster headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Sachs Roadster headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Sachs Roadster suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Sachs Roadster suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Sachs Roadster suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Sachs Roadster tyresSearch Amazon for Sachs Roadster tyresaffiliate searchFind Sachs Roadster tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Sachs Roadster steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Sachs Roadster steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Sachs Roadster steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Sachs Xtc Supersport MOT failures31.1% failure rateSachs Madass MOT failures19.8% failure rateSachs Sx1 MOT failures28.8% 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