Know Your MOT
25.9%fail rate

Zontes Zt common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 7,997 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 25.9% of MOT tests recorded on the Zontes Zt 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 39.4% of the Zontes Zt's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, other, brakes, 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 & 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.

Other35.0% of failures

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

Brakes31.8% 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.

Suspension16.9% 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.

Steering9.7% 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.

Tyres6.1% 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.

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).

201131.4% fail · 137 tests
201230.2% fail · 739 tests
201332.7% fail · 973 tests
201428.2% fail · 1,158 tests
201533.3% fail · 1,012 tests
201628.8% fail · 742 tests
201723.9% fail · 331 tests
202119.5% fail · 1,194 tests
202218.7% fail · 1,354 tests
202310.8% fail · 240 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: Zontes Zt headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Zontes Zt headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Zontes Zt headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Zontes Zt brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Zontes Zt brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Zontes Zt brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Zontes Zt suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Zontes Zt suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Zontes Zt suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Zontes Zt steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Zontes Zt steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Zontes Zt steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Zontes Zt tyresSearch Amazon for Zontes Zt tyresaffiliate searchFind Zontes Zt tyres on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Zontes Mantis MOT failures26.4% failure rateZontes Scorpion MOT failures31.2% failure rateZontes Firefly MOT failures29.1% 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