2013 Great Wall Steed — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 460 MOT tests, the 2013 Great Wall Steed recorded a 70.7% pass rate. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 22.5% of the time, so this is 6.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (20.2%) and lighting & signalling (17.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, headlamp aim and headlamp — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 65 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2013 Steed fails 29.4% of the time in the 30-60k band and 30.2% at 90-120k, a spread of only 0.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 36.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 28.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 30.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 20.2% | 93 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 17.4% | 80 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.0% | 55 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 39 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.4% | 34 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.5% | 16 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 65 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 57 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 37 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 29 |
| 5 | Washers | 25 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 23 |
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 | 36.5% | 168 |
| 2 | Suspension | 36.1% | 166 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 20.2% | 93 |
| 4 | Tyres | 19.6% | 90 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.3% | 75 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 11.1% | 51 |
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 | 126 | 29.4% |
| 60-90k | 203 | 30.0% |
| 90-120k | 86 | 30.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 108 | 28.7% |
| 2022 | 106 | 27.4% |
| 2023 | 99 | 30.3% |
| 2024 | 75 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 72 | 30.6% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Steed
On a 2013 Steed, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 20.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (20.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (17.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.0% 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.
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 2013 Great Wall Steeds pass their MOT?
70.7% of the 460 2013 Great Wall Steed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Great Wall Steed?
Brakes, recorded in 20.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (17.4%).
Does the 2013 Steed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 29.4% in the 30-60k band to 30.2% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 460 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.