Chevrolet Corvette MOT pass rate & common failures
4,222 MOT tests on the Chevrolet Corvette (1980–2025) give it an 89.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (21.9% fail rate), the Corvette comes out 11.5pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.1%) and brakes (4.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 127 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.7% in the 0-30k band and 19.4% in the 150k+ band, a 12.7-point spread — more than double.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 10.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.7% in 2021 to 9.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Corvette model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 51 | 80.4% | 19.6% | Brakes |
| 1982 | 66 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 41 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 65 | 84.6% | 15.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 45 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 79 | 83.5% | 16.5% | Visibility |
| 1988 | 94 | 86.2% | 13.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 132 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 152 | 93.4% | 6.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 120 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 91 | 89.0% | 11.0% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 65 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 88 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 66 | 93.9% | 6.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 88 | 93.2% | 6.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 80 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 130 | 86.9% | 13.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 135 | 92.6% | 7.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 175 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 159 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 121 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 128 | 88.3% | 11.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 166 | 87.9% | 12.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 195 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 206 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 196 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 93 | 89.3% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 50 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 39 | 100.0% | 0.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2011 | 34 | 97.1% | 2.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 52 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 168 | 90.5% | 9.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 146 | 90.4% | 9.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 149 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2017 | 188 | 94.2% | 5.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 139 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 122 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 37 | 91.9% | 8.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 298 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.4% | 187 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 99 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 89 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 65 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.1% | 48 |
| 7 | Tyres | 1.1% | 46 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.8% | 34 |
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 | 127 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 103 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 100 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 94 |
| 5 | Individual direction indicators | 84 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 69 |
| 7 | Washers | 65 |
| 8 | Service brake performance | 61 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.9% | 460 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.2% | 389 |
| 3 | Tyres | 8.6% | 362 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.4% | 269 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.1% | 175 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 150 |
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 | 1,287 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,200 | 8.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,116 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 412 | 13.8% |
| 120-150k | 129 | 13.2% |
| 150k+ | 67 | 19.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 926 | 11.7% |
| 2022 | 889 | 10.2% |
| 2023 | 860 | 10.9% |
| 2024 | 757 | 9.1% |
| 2025 | 790 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a Chevrolet Corvette
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.3% 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 Chevrolet Corvette?
89.6% of the 4,222 Chevrolet Corvette MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 10.4% fail rate, across model years 1980–2025.
What does the Chevrolet Corvette most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.1% of tests, then brakes (4.4%).
How much does mileage affect Corvette MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 19.4% for 150k+, a 12.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,222 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.