The picture
Tf: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 2,188 MOT tests, the Tf returns 65.3% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a number-plate lamp out. A torn suspension dust cover and a corroded brake pipe round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 108,685, 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 rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
162 occurrences · 7.4% of tests
- 02
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
153 occurrences · 7.0% of tests
- 03
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
151 occurrences · 6.9% of tests
- 04
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
119 occurrences · 5.4% of tests
- 05
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
115 occurrences · 5.3% of tests
- 06
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
102 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 07
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
95 occurrences · 4.3% of tests
- 08
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
92 occurrences · 4.2% of tests
- 09
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
85 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 10
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
77 occurrences · 3.5% 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 4 failures
£208–£605
If every one of this TF'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 TF?
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 TF 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.