Dodge Challenger MOT pass rate & common failures
The Dodge Challenger appears in 1,763 MOT tests spanning model years 1987–2025, and 86.5% of them passed. That is 4.0 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 17.5%. 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 8.7% of tests against 4.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are individual direction indicators, headlamp aim and side repeaters — individual direction indicators alone was recorded 70 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 15.1% versus 9.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.7% in 2021 to 9.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Challenger model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 36 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 152 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 119 | 85.7% | 14.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 114 | 80.7% | 19.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 178 | 83.7% | 16.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 135 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 145 | 84.8% | 15.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 196 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Brakes |
| 2016 | 185 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 99 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 112 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 106 | 84.9% | 15.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 58 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 79 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.7% | 153 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.7% | 83 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 62 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.8% | 50 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.3% | 41 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.7% | 30 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.6% | 29 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.0% | 17 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Individual direction indicators | 70 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 67 |
| 3 | Side repeaters | 59 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 51 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 49 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 40 |
| 7 | Headlamp | 35 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 33 |
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 | 11.6% | 204 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.0% | 177 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.0% | 123 |
| 4 | Steering | 4.3% | 76 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 60 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.3% | 40 |
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 | 492 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 625 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 378 | 14.0% |
| 90-120k | 173 | 22.0% |
| 120-150k | 73 | 15.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 299 | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 359 | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 368 | 17.4% |
| 2024 | 372 | 11.6% |
| 2025 | 365 | 9.9% |
What to check before buying a Dodge Challenger
- Lighting & signalling (8.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.7% 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 (3.5% 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 Dodge Challenger?
86.5% of the 1,763 Dodge Challenger MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 13.5% fail rate, across model years 1987–2025.
What does the Dodge Challenger most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.7% of tests, then brakes (4.7%).
How much does mileage affect Challenger MOT results?
Fail rates run at 9.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 15.1% for 120-150k, a 5.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,763 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.