Caterham Seven S3 MOT pass rate & common failures
6,310 MOT tests on the Caterham Seven S3 (1980–2020) give it a 90.1% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 25.5% of the time, so this is 15.6pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 6.7% of all tests — 3.4 points clear of emissions & environmental, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and service brake performance — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 210 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 2.9% versus 9.6%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 11.2% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Seven S3 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 37 | 86.5% | 13.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 37 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 80 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1990 | 133 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 141 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 173 | 89.6% | 10.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 166 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 225 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 230 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 288 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 429 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 449 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 425 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 328 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 266 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 384 | 89.1% | 10.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 346 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 383 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 298 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 230 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 263 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 266 | 92.9% | 7.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 155 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 268 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 116 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 111 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.7% | 420 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.2% | 204 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 160 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.6% | 103 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.6% | 98 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.5% | 93 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.9% | 54 |
| 8 | Tyres | 0.8% | 49 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 210 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 145 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 98 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 96 |
| 5 | Steering rack | 78 |
| 6 | Non catalyst emissions | 77 |
| 7 | Rear fog lamp | 72 |
| 8 | Registration plates | 66 |
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 | 11.2% | 709 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.8% | 363 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 278 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.4% | 277 |
| 5 | Steering | 3.0% | 192 |
| 6 | Other defects | 2.3% | 142 |
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 | 4,079 | 9.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,882 | 10.6% |
| 60-90k | 267 | 9.7% |
| 90-120k | 34 | 2.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,324 | 10.1% |
| 2022 | 1,330 | 10.1% |
| 2023 | 1,308 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 1,160 | 9.4% |
| 2025 | 1,188 | 10.2% |
What to check before buying a Caterham Seven S3
- Lighting & signalling (6.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (2.5% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Caterham Seven S3?
90.1% of the 6,310 Caterham Seven S3 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.9% fail rate, across model years 1980–2020.
What does the Caterham Seven S3 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.7% of tests, then emissions & environmental (3.2%).
How much does mileage affect Seven S3 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 2.9% for 90-120k, a 6.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,310 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.