Morgan Roadster MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 41 model years and 3,230 tests, the Morgan Roadster passes its MOT 92.4% of the time. That is 13.5 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.4% of tests against 2.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, washers and service brake performance — headlamp aim alone was recorded 59 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.3% in the 0-30k band and 13.2% in the 60-90k band, a 5.9-point spread.
How it compares
By model year
Every Roadster model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 233 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 211 | 91.9% | 8.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 138 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 194 | 89.7% | 10.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 206 | 94.2% | 5.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 262 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 254 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Brakes |
| 2011 | 172 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2012 | 126 | 93.7% | 6.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 172 | 94.8% | 5.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 215 | 90.2% | 9.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 199 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 210 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 183 | 93.4% | 6.6% | Steering |
| 2018 | 185 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Steering |
| 2019 | 136 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 37 | 97.3% | 2.7% | Steering |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 174 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.4% | 77 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 75 |
| 4 | Steering | 1.5% | 49 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.3% | 42 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.9% | 30 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.4% | 13 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 9 |
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 | 59 |
| 2 | Washers | 58 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 55 |
| 4 | Steering rack | 51 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 38 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 37 |
| 7 | Catalyst emissions | 33 |
| 8 | Wipers | 25 |
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 | 7.1% | 230 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.0% | 96 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.9% | 95 |
| 4 | Steering | 1.9% | 61 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 57 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 47 |
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 | 2,446 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 692 | 8.1% |
| 60-90k | 76 | 13.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 631 | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 664 | 7.4% |
| 2023 | 650 | 8.5% |
| 2024 | 643 | 7.0% |
| 2025 | 642 | 7.5% |
What to check before buying a Morgan Roadster
- Lighting & signalling (5.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.4% 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 (2.3% 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 Roadster?
92.4% of the 3,230 Morgan Roadster MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 7.6% fail rate, across model years 1981–2021.
What does the Morgan Roadster most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.4% of tests, then visibility (2.4%).
How much does mileage affect Roadster MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.2% for 60-90k, a 5.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,230 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.