Lotus Elan MOT pass rate & common failures
The Lotus Elan appears in 6,261 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2021, and 79.2% of them passed. That is 1.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Its most common failure areas are brakes, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (13.0%) and lighting & signalling (10.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, rbt (sp) and headlamp aim — service brake performance alone was recorded 584 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 23.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.6% in 2021 to 19.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Elan model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,437 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Brakes |
| 1991 | 2,104 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Brakes |
| 1992 | 1,096 | 77.5% | 22.4% | Brakes |
| 1993 | 88 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1994 | 448 | 82.8% | 17.2% | Brakes |
| 1995 | 802 | 80.5% | 19.4% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 149 | 85.9% | 14.1% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.0% | 813 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 651 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 361 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.9% | 305 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.4% | 215 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 156 |
| 7 | Tyres | 0.9% | 56 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.7% | 44 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 584 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 425 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 326 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 326 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 255 |
| 6 | Washers | 228 |
| 7 | Catalyst emissions | 218 |
| 8 | Non catalyst emissions | 185 |
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 | 23.1% | 1,448 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.4% | 1,280 |
| 3 | Tyres | 9.5% | 593 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 517 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.0% | 500 |
| 6 | Other defects | 6.9% | 431 |
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 | 418 | 17.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,468 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 2,004 | 19.9% |
| 90-120k | 1,633 | 22.4% |
| 120-150k | 522 | 25.5% |
| 150k+ | 213 | 25.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,304 | 21.6% |
| 2022 | 1,325 | 20.8% |
| 2023 | 1,247 | 20.8% |
| 2024 | 1,198 | 21.0% |
| 2025 | 1,187 | 19.9% |
What to check before buying a Lotus Elan
- Brakes (13.0% 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 (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (5.8% 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 Lotus Elan?
79.2% of the 6,261 Lotus Elan MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 20.8% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Lotus Elan most often fail its MOT on?
Brakes, recorded in 13.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (10.4%).
How much does mileage affect Elan MOT results?
Fail rates run at 17.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 25.8% for 150k+, a 8.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,261 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.