Caterham Super-7 MOT pass rate & common failures
2,347 MOT tests on the Caterham Super-7 (1984–2019) give it an 89.6% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 25.1% of the time, so this is 14.8pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.0% of tests against 3.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 70 times.
A 60-90k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.5% versus 9.9%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 10.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.5% in 2021 to 8.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Super-7 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 53 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 48 | 87.5% | 12.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 83 | 80.7% | 19.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1993 | 37 | 86.5% | 13.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 60 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Brakes |
| 1995 | 46 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 71 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 171 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 84 | 82.1% | 17.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 121 | 86.0% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 62 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 94 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2002 | 111 | 94.6% | 5.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 104 | 85.6% | 14.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2004 | 108 | 88.0% | 12.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 80 | 86.3% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 110 | 97.3% | 2.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2007 | 109 | 94.5% | 5.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2008 | 178 | 91.6% | 8.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 143 | 92.3% | 7.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 169 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 110 | 90.9% | 9.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 92 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 164 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.6% | 84 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 74 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.0% | 47 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 36 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.2% | 29 |
| 7 | Tyres | 0.9% | 20 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.6% | 14 |
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 | 70 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 70 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 49 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 31 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 31 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 28 |
| 7 | Non catalyst emissions | 27 |
| 8 | Rear fog lamp | 26 |
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 | 10.7% | 252 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.6% | 154 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 94 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 91 |
| 5 | Steering | 3.4% | 80 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 63 |
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 | 1,758 | 9.9% |
| 30-60k | 531 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 54 | 18.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 505 | 11.5% |
| 2022 | 500 | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 471 | 9.8% |
| 2024 | 431 | 10.4% |
| 2025 | 440 | 8.6% |
What to check before buying a Caterham Super-7
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.6% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.1% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Super-7?
89.6% of the 2,347 Caterham Super-7 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.4% fail rate, across model years 1984–2019.
What does the Caterham Super-7 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.0% of tests, then brakes (3.6%).
How much does mileage affect Super-7 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.9% for cars in the 0-30k band and 18.5% for 60-90k, a 8.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,347 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.