Know Your MOT
10.5%fail rate

Suzuki Vl800 common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Suzuki Vl800 fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 14,588 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 10.5% of MOT tests recorded on the Suzuki Vl800 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 18.1% of the Suzuki Vl800's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, tyres, brakes, registration plate. 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 & electrical18.1% 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.

Tyres17.2% 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.

Brakes16.2% 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.

Registration plate7.2% of failures

A missing, damaged, dirty or incorrectly-spaced number plate, or one using the wrong font, will fail. A replacement plate is inexpensive.

Exhaust & emissions6.2% 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.

Other5.2% of failures

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

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).

200111.0% fail · 1,620 tests
200211.4% fail · 3,301 tests
20039.8% fail · 3,880 tests
200410.6% fail · 1,740 tests
20058.8% fail · 1,070 tests
20069.7% fail · 969 tests
200711.6% fail · 502 tests
200810.2% fail · 629 tests
20099.7% fail · 103 tests
201010.8% fail · 167 tests
20118.8% fail · 170 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: Suzuki Vl800 headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Suzuki Vl800 headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Suzuki Vl800 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Suzuki Vl800 tyresSearch Amazon for Suzuki Vl800 tyresaffiliate searchFind Suzuki Vl800 tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Suzuki Vl800 brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Suzuki Vl800 brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Suzuki Vl800 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the registration plate failure: Suzuki Vl800 number plateSearch Amazon for Suzuki Vl800 number plateaffiliate searchFind Suzuki Vl800 number plate on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Suzuki Vl800 exhaustSearch Amazon for Suzuki Vl800 exhaustaffiliate searchFind Suzuki Vl800 exhaust on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Suzuki Swift MOT failures23.4% failure rateSuzuki Alto MOT failures25.8% failure rateSuzuki Grand Vitara MOT failures23.8% 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