2010 Lotus Elise — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 Lotus Elise passed 89.7% of its 580 recorded MOT tests. That is 14.1 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.7%) and brakes (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, catalyst emissions and anti-lock braking system — headlamp aim alone was recorded 18 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 14.8% once past 60-90k — 2.9× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 33 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.5% | 20 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.7% | 10 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 7 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.2% | 7 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 5 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 18 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 10 |
| 3 | Anti-lock braking system | 7 |
| 4 | Valve stem | 7 |
| 5 | Washers | 7 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 6 |
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 | 11.9% | 69 |
| 2 | Tyres | 10.7% | 62 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.0% | 23 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 22 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 19 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 8 |
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 | 240 | 5.0% |
| 30-60k | 278 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 61 | 14.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 110 | 5.5% |
| 2022 | 126 | 11.1% |
| 2023 | 114 | 8.8% |
| 2024 | 121 | 14.9% |
| 2025 | 109 | 11.0% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Elise
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.5% 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.
- Visibility (1.7% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2010 Lotus Elises pass their MOT?
89.7% of the 580 2010 Lotus Elise MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Lotus Elise?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by brakes (3.5%).
Does the 2010 Elise get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.0% in the 0-30k band to 14.8% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 580 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.