2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn — MOT failures & pass rate
587 MOT tests on the 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn are in this dataset, and 95.6% of them passed. That is 10.0 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 14.4%. Failures cluster in tyres, other defects and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.1%) and other defects (1.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are registration plates, tread depth and headlamp aim — registration plates alone was recorded 8 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 7.0% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.1% | 18 |
| 2 | Other defects | 1.0% | 6 |
| 3 | Brakes | 0.9% | 5 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.5% | 3 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 1 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.2% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Registration plates | 8 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 4 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 4 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 4 |
| 5 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 1 |
| 6 | Flexible brake hoses | 1 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 11.8% | 69 |
| 2 | Brakes | 1.7% | 10 |
| 3 | Other defects | 1.0% | 6 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.7% | 4 |
| 5 | Road wheels | 0.5% | 3 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 3 |
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 | 490 | 3.9% |
| 30-60k | 86 | 8.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 128 | 7.0% |
| 2022 | 124 | 4.0% |
| 2023 | 111 | 1.8% |
| 2024 | 106 | 3.8% |
| 2025 | 118 | 5.1% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Dawn
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 3.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (3.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Other defects (1.0% of tests): Miscellaneous items not in the main categories. Typical repair: varies.
- Brakes (0.9% 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 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawns pass their MOT?
95.6% of the 587 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 4.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn?
Tyres, recorded in 3.1% of tests, followed by other defects (1.0%).
Does the 2016 Dawn get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.9% in the 0-30k band to 8.1% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 587 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.