Dodge Caliber Sxt A MOT pass rate & common failures
The Dodge Caliber Sxt A appears in 1,491 MOT tests spanning model years 2006–2009, and 66.9% of them passed. That is 6.6 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.5%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (23.3%) and suspension (21.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, pins and bushes and ball joint — position lamp alone was recorded 204 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 35.1% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 44.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 31.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 39.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Caliber Sxt A model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 327 | 70.3% | 29.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 514 | 66.9% | 33.1% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 524 | 64.7% | 35.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 126 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 23.3% | 347 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.9% | 326 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 116 |
| 4 | Brakes | 7.3% | 109 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.3% | 109 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.1% | 106 |
| 7 | Tyres | 6.8% | 101 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 6.1% | 91 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 204 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 192 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 151 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 113 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 110 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 107 |
| 7 | Shock absorbers | 82 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 78 |
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 | 44.5% | 663 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.6% | 396 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.5% | 365 |
| 4 | Other defects | 21.7% | 323 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.2% | 212 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 203 |
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 | 32 | 15.6% |
| 30-60k | 226 | 25.7% |
| 60-90k | 543 | 32.4% |
| 90-120k | 490 | 37.5% |
| 120-150k | 158 | 34.2% |
| 150k+ | 37 | 35.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 452 | 31.0% |
| 2022 | 348 | 35.1% |
| 2023 | 268 | 29.5% |
| 2024 | 248 | 33.5% |
| 2025 | 175 | 39.4% |
What to check before buying a Dodge Caliber Sxt A
- Lighting & signalling (23.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (21.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Body, structure & corrosion (7.8% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Dodge Caliber Sxt A?
66.9% of the 1,491 Dodge Caliber Sxt A MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 33.1% fail rate, across model years 2006–2009.
What does the Dodge Caliber Sxt A most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.3% of tests, then suspension (21.9%).
How much does mileage affect Caliber Sxt A MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 35.1% for 150k+, a 19.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,491 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.