1994 Morgan 4/4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1994 Morgan 4/4 passed 87.9% of its 314 recorded MOT tests. That is 11.7 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 23.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.0%) and emissions & environmental (6.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, service brake performance and rear fog lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 16 times.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 10.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 22 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 19 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.7% | 18 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.9% | 6 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 5 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 16 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 10 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 7 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 7 |
| 5 | Washers | 6 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 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 | 10.2% | 32 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.3% | 26 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 22 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.7% | 21 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.8% | 15 |
| 6 | Other defects | 3.2% | 10 |
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 | 148 | 11.5% |
| 30-60k | 129 | 10.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 65 | 9.2% |
| 2022 | 60 | 11.7% |
| 2023 | 67 | 13.4% |
| 2024 | 57 | 10.5% |
| 2025 | 65 | 15.4% |
What to check before buying a 1994 4/4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (6.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (5.7% 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.
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 1994 Morgan 4/4s pass their MOT?
87.9% of the 314 1994 Morgan 4/4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1994 Morgan 4/4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (6.0%).
Does the 1994 4/4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 0-30k band to 10.8% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 314 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.