1998 Rover 214 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Rover 214 passed 72.4% of its 859 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (25.7% fail rate), the 1998 214 comes out 1.9pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.0%) and brakes (10.5%) 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 component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 97 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.8% once past 120-150k — 2.2× the risk.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 112 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.5% | 90 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 9.4% | 81 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.8% | 67 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 60 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.3% | 54 |
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 | 97 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 68 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 67 |
| 4 | Wipers | 43 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 39 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 33 |
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 | 27.1% | 233 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.4% | 227 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.0% | 223 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 21.3% | 183 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 20.4% | 175 |
| 6 | Other defects | 19.2% | 165 |
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 | 85 | 14.1% |
| 30-60k | 325 | 27.7% |
| 60-90k | 268 | 30.2% |
| 90-120k | 124 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 52 | 30.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 253 | 26.1% |
| 2022 | 200 | 28.5% |
| 2023 | 174 | 29.3% |
| 2024 | 128 | 28.1% |
| 2025 | 104 | 26.0% |
What to check before buying a 1998 214
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.5% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (9.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 1998 Rover 214s pass their MOT?
72.4% of the 859 1998 Rover 214 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Rover 214?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.0% of tests, followed by brakes (10.5%).
Does the 1998 214 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.1% in the 0-30k band to 30.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 859 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.