The picture
S90: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 6,626 MOT tests, the S90 returns 88.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is brake pads worn below 1.5 mm. Tyre tread under the limit and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 55,122, 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 brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
259 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
154 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 03
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
133 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 04
A tyre seriously damaged
123 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 05
A tyre cords visible or damaged
85 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade defective
48 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 07
A tyre seriously damaged
43 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 08
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
28 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 09
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
26 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 10
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
25 occurrences · 0.4% 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 3 failures
£200–£350
If every one of this S90'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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Build your own retest budget.
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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Buying or keeping a S90?
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 S90 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.