Know Your MOT
21.8%fail rate

Triumph Vitesse common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 19,902 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 21.8% of MOT tests recorded on the Triumph Vitesse 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 46.5% of the Triumph Vitesse's failures, followed by brakes, lamps & electrical, suspension, visibility/wipers. 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

Brakes46.5% 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 & electrical39.4% 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.

Suspension26.8% 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.

Visibility/wipers21.0% 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.

Other15.8% of failures

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

Steering13.1% 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: Triumph Vitesse brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Triumph Vitesse brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Triumph Vitesse brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Triumph Vitesse headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Triumph Vitesse headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Triumph Vitesse headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Triumph Vitesse suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Triumph Vitesse suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Triumph Vitesse suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the visibility/wipers failure: Triumph Vitesse wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Triumph Vitesse wiper bladesaffiliate searchFind Triumph Vitesse wiper blades on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Triumph Vitesse steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Triumph Vitesse steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Triumph Vitesse steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Triumph Bonneville MOT failures9.8% failure rateTriumph Tiger MOT failures9.2% failure rateTriumph Sprint MOT failures12.6% 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