2014 Kia Carens — MOT failures & pass rate
13,708 MOT tests on the 2014 Kia Carens are in this dataset, and 79.3% of them passed. That is 1.7 percentage points worse than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 19.0%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.0%) and brakes (8.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, stop lamp and shock absorbers — brake pads alone was recorded 725 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 19.1% fail against 21.0% for diesel, a 2.0-point gap across 13,708 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 30.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 1,365 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.7% | 1,197 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 918 |
| 4 | Suspension | 6.6% | 901 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 463 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 165 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 725 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 672 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 479 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 374 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 356 |
| 6 | Brake discs | 327 |
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 | 30.7% | 4,207 |
| 2 | Tyres | 28.3% | 3,883 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.2% | 1,815 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.7% | 1,745 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.5% | 889 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.5% | 486 |
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 | 340 | 10.6% |
| 30-60k | 3,509 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 5,686 | 21.4% |
| 90-120k | 2,950 | 23.7% |
| 120-150k | 887 | 26.7% |
| 150k+ | 334 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,378 | 21.0% |
| Petrol | 2,330 | 19.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,733 | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 2,785 | 19.9% |
| 2023 | 2,811 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 2,729 | 22.2% |
| 2025 | 2,650 | 22.6% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Carens
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.7% 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.
- Tyres (6.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2014 Kia Carenss pass their MOT?
79.3% of the 13,708 2014 Kia Carens MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Kia Carens?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.0% of tests, followed by brakes (8.7%).
Does the 2014 Carens get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,708 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.