2017 Caterham Unclassified — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 805 MOT tests analysed for the 2017 Caterham Unclassified, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes. Its pass rate of 92.4% was above the average for cars of a similar age (87.7%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.1% | 41 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 23 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.5% | 12 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.0% | 8 |
| 5 | Steering | 0.6% | 5 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.6% | 5 |
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 | 35 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 19 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 10 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 10 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 9 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 7 |
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 | 4.8% | 39 |
| 2 | Suspension | 4.6% | 37 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.9% | 15 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.0% | 8 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.5% | 4 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.4% | 3 |
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 | 800 | 7.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 179 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 164 | 7.3% |
| 2023 | 163 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 151 | 9.9% |
| 2025 | 148 | 7.4% |
What to check before buying a 2017 Unclassified
Before buying a 2017 Caterham Unclassified, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 5.1% of tests for this year.
- Lighting & signalling (5.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (2.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (1.5% 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
How many 2017 Caterham Unclassifieds pass their MOT?
92.4% of the 805 2017 Caterham Unclassified MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2017 Caterham Unclassified?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.1% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (2.9%).
Methodology & source. Based on 805 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.