London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 17 model years and 1,500 tests, the London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze passes its MOT 72.6% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail at 26.8%, so the Tx1 Bronze sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.3%) and suspension (12.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are integral vehicle structure condition, prescribed areas and component mounting prescribed areas — integral vehicle structure condition alone was recorded 249 times.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 22.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.4% in 2021 to 22.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Tx1 Bronze model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 66 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 237 | 78.5% | 21.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 310 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2001 | 555 | 68.8% | 31.2% | Suspension |
| 2002 | 115 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Brakes |
| 2009 | 74 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 76 | 73.7% | 26.3% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 199 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.9% | 193 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.3% | 185 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.9% | 179 |
| 5 | Steering | 8.3% | 125 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 5.1% | 76 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.8% | 72 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 2.9% | 44 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 249 |
| 2 | Prescribed areas | 154 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 124 |
| 4 | Track rod end | 111 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 93 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 80 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 72 |
| 8 | Pins and bushes | 64 |
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 | 22.3% | 335 |
| 2 | Brakes | 18.7% | 280 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 13.3% | 199 |
| 4 | Steering | 12.5% | 187 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.1% | 181 |
| 6 | Tyres | 11.3% | 170 |
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 | 164 | 13.4% |
| 150k+ | 1,267 | 29.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,273 | 25.3% |
| Petrol | 213 | 39.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 580 | 28.4% |
| 2022 | 343 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 287 | 28.2% |
| 2024 | 190 | 30.0% |
| 2025 | 100 | 22.0% |
What to check before buying a London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze
- Lighting & signalling (13.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.9% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.3% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze?
72.6% of the 1,500 London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.4% fail rate, across model years 1997–2013.
What does the London Taxis Int Tx1 Bronze most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.3% of tests, then suspension (12.9%).
Methodology & source. Based on 1,500 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.