Morgan Aero 8 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Morgan Aero 8 appears in 1,284 MOT tests spanning model years 1999–2019, and 90.6% of them passed. Against all cars of a similar age (22.4% fail rate), the Aero 8 comes out 13.0pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.1%) and visibility (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and washers — wipers alone was recorded 38 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Aero 8 fails 8.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.7% at 60-90k, a spread of only 3.0 points.
How it compares
By model year
Every Aero 8 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 76 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 259 | 89.2% | 10.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 73 | 91.8% | 8.2% | Visibility |
| 2005 | 39 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2007 | 88 | 95.5% | 4.5% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 98 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 96 | 91.7% | 8.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 55 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 31 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2016 | 140 | 87.9% | 12.1% | Brakes |
| 2017 | 191 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 51 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Seat belts & restraints |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.1% | 78 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.7% | 48 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.6% | 34 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 23 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.6% | 20 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.8% | 10 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 9 |
| 8 | Steering | 0.5% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 38 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 38 |
| 3 | Washers | 23 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 21 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 18 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 17 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 14 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 13 |
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 | 7.3% | 94 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.7% | 60 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.2% | 54 |
| 4 | Steering | 3.0% | 38 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 27 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.9% | 24 |
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 | 920 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 274 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 53 | 5.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 267 | 8.6% |
| 2022 | 269 | 9.7% |
| 2023 | 253 | 9.9% |
| 2024 | 243 | 9.9% |
| 2025 | 252 | 9.1% |
What to check before buying a Morgan Aero 8
- Lighting & signalling (6.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (3.7% 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.
- Brakes (2.6% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Morgan Aero 8?
90.6% of the 1,284 Morgan Aero 8 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.4% fail rate, across model years 1999–2019.
What does the Morgan Aero 8 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.1% of tests, then visibility (3.7%).
How much does mileage affect Aero 8 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 5.7% for 60-90k, a 3.0-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,284 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.