2015 Great Wall Steed — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,664 MOT tests, the 2015 Great Wall Steed recorded a 76.2% pass rate. That is 4.7 percentage points worse than pick-up trucks of a similar age, which fail at 19.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.9%) and brakes (11.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, ball joint and position lamp — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 148 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 18.4% in the 0-30k band and 22.8% in the 120-150k band, a 4.5-point spread.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 37.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 22.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 26.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 231 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.2% | 186 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.9% | 164 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.8% | 113 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.9% | 99 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 81 |
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 | 148 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 140 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 119 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 79 |
| 5 | Joints | 69 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 66 |
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 | 37.5% | 624 |
| 2 | Suspension | 30.9% | 515 |
| 3 | Tyres | 16.2% | 269 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 189 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 131 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.9% | 114 |
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 | 158 | 18.4% |
| 30-60k | 620 | 21.6% |
| 60-90k | 627 | 25.4% |
| 90-120k | 187 | 29.4% |
| 120-150k | 57 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 377 | 22.3% |
| 2022 | 374 | 24.6% |
| 2023 | 331 | 20.8% |
| 2024 | 304 | 25.7% |
| 2025 | 278 | 26.3% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Steed
On a 2015 Steed, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.2% 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.
- Suspension (9.9% 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.
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 2015 Great Wall Steeds pass their MOT?
76.2% of the 1,664 2015 Great Wall Steed MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Great Wall Steed?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by brakes (11.2%).
Does the 2015 Steed get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.4% in the 0-30k band to 22.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,664 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.