1996 Carbodies Taxi/Hire Car — MOT failures & pass rate
307 MOT tests on the 1996 Carbodies Taxi/Hire Car are in this dataset, and 74.3% of them passed. That is 1.1 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.7%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 22.1% of all tests — 11.7 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and integral vehicle structure condition — headlamp aim alone was recorded 32 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 21.6% in the 0-30k band and 27.0% in the 150k+ band, a 5.5-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.6% in 2021 to 22.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 22.1% | 68 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.4% | 32 |
| 3 | Visibility | 10.1% | 31 |
| 4 | Suspension | 9.8% | 30 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 15 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.9% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 32 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 28 |
| 3 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 24 |
| 4 | Washers | 23 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 23 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 18 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 27.7% | 85 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.9% | 55 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 17.9% | 55 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.6% | 48 |
| 5 | Steering | 11.7% | 36 |
| 6 | Tyres | 11.4% | 35 |
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 | 51 | 21.6% |
| 90-120k | 33 | 30.3% |
| 150k+ | 196 | 27.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 70 | 28.6% |
| 2022 | 59 | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 68 | 30.9% |
| 2024 | 57 | 24.6% |
| 2025 | 53 | 22.6% |
What to check before buying a 1996 Taxi/Hire Car
On a 1996 Taxi/Hire Car, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 22.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (22.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Visibility (10.1% 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.
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 1996 Carbodies Taxi/Hire Cars pass their MOT?
74.3% of the 307 1996 Carbodies Taxi/Hire Car MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1996 Carbodies Taxi/Hire Car?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 22.1% of tests, followed by brakes (10.4%).
Does the 1996 Taxi/Hire Car get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.6% in the 0-30k band to 27.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 307 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.