2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassified — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 790 MOT tests analysed for the 2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassified, the most common recorded failure areas were visibility, lighting & signalling and seat belts & restraints. Its pass rate of 96.3% was above the average for cars of a similar age (89.1%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 1.9% | 15 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 15 |
| 3 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.8% | 6 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.8% | 6 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 4 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.3% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 18 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 16 |
| 3 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 6 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 4 |
| 5 | Brake discs | 3 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 2 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.5% | 28 |
| 2 | Brakes | 2.1% | 17 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.9% | 15 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 11 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 8 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 6 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 726 | 3.9% |
| 30-60k | 63 | 1.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 162 | 3.7% |
| 2022 | 161 | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 159 | 3.1% |
| 2024 | 146 | 3.4% |
| 2025 | 162 | 4.3% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Unclassified
Before buying a 2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassified, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Visibility accounted for 1.9% of tests for this year.
- Visibility (1.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Seat belts & restraints (0.8% of tests): Belt damage or faulty pretensioners — usually straightforward but safety-critical. Typical repair: £50–£300.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassifieds pass their MOT?
96.3% of the 790 2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassified MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 3.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Auto - Sleepers Unclassified?
Visibility, recorded in 1.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.9%).
Does the 2018 Unclassified get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.9% in the 0-30k band to 1.6% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 790 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.