Dodge Caliber Sxt D MOT pass rate & common failures
The Dodge Caliber Sxt D appears in 673 MOT tests spanning model years 2006–2009, and 66.1% of them passed. That is 7.4 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.5%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (22.6%) and lighting & signalling (21.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, pins and bushes and position lamp — ball joint alone was recorded 84 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 25.6% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 43.3% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 46.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 34.2% in 2021 to 30.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Caliber Sxt D model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 219 | 64.8% | 35.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 311 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 88 | 63.6% | 36.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 55 | 67.3% | 32.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 22.6% | 152 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 21.4% | 144 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.9% | 60 |
| 4 | Tyres | 8.2% | 55 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.0% | 47 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.9% | 40 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 38 |
| 8 | Visibility | 4.2% | 28 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 84 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 82 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 56 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 44 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 43 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 43 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 38 |
| 8 | Headlamp aim | 36 |
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 | 46.4% | 312 |
| 2 | Tyres | 31.9% | 215 |
| 3 | Brakes | 28.5% | 192 |
| 4 | Other defects | 20.5% | 138 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 14.7% | 99 |
| 6 | Steering | 11.0% | 74 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 43 | 25.6% |
| 60-90k | 125 | 30.4% |
| 90-120k | 272 | 33.8% |
| 120-150k | 169 | 35.5% |
| 150k+ | 60 | 43.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 257 | 34.2% |
| 2022 | 163 | 35.6% |
| 2023 | 132 | 35.6% |
| 2024 | 71 | 28.2% |
| 2025 | 50 | 30.0% |
What to check before buying a Dodge Caliber Sxt D
- Suspension (22.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (21.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.9% 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 Dodge Caliber Sxt D?
66.1% of the 673 Dodge Caliber Sxt D MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 33.9% fail rate, across model years 2006–2009.
What does the Dodge Caliber Sxt D most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 22.6% of tests, then lighting & signalling (21.4%).
How much does mileage affect Caliber Sxt D MOT results?
Fail rates run at 25.6% for cars in the 30-60k band and 43.3% for 150k+, a 17.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 673 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.