The picture
540: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 862 MOT tests, the 540 returns 78.0% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. Windscreen damage and a weak handbrake round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 122,632, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
32 occurrences · 3.7% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
25 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 03
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
23 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 04
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
23 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 05
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
20 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
18 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 07
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
17 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 08
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
17 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
15 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 10
A tyre cords visible or damaged
15 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£90–£320
If every one of this 540's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 540?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 540 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.