TVR Chimaera MOT pass rate & common failures
13,448 MOT tests on the TVR Chimaera (1993–2018) give it an 88.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (25.2% fail rate), the Chimaera comes out 13.8pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
Best and worst Chimaera years
Ranked across Chimaera years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 1998 (90.3% pass rate); the weakest is 1995 (86.8%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests against 3.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and washers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 609 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Chimaera fails 10.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.3% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.1 points.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 12.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.3% in 2021 to 10.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Chimaera model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 620 | 83.4% | 16.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1994 | 822 | 84.7% | 15.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 1,337 | 86.8% | 13.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 1,717 | 87.6% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 2,123 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 3,089 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 2,380 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 945 | 89.5% | 10.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 253 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2002 | 125 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 892 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.1% | 413 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.0% | 410 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 404 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.9% | 262 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.5% | 207 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 155 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.7% | 99 |
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 | 609 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 432 |
| 3 | Washers | 285 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 244 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 192 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 184 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 182 |
| 8 | Wipers | 177 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 12.7% | 1,702 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.7% | 1,169 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.7% | 894 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.8% | 777 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 559 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.8% | 515 |
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 | 1,631 | 10.2% |
| 30-60k | 6,107 | 10.4% |
| 60-90k | 4,556 | 12.3% |
| 90-120k | 928 | 14.0% |
| 120-150k | 126 | 10.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,823 | 12.3% |
| 2022 | 2,744 | 11.5% |
| 2023 | 2,684 | 11.2% |
| 2024 | 2,613 | 11.4% |
| 2025 | 2,584 | 10.5% |
What to check before buying a TVR Chimaera
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.1% 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.
- Visibility (3.0% 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.
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 TVR Chimaera?
88.6% of the 13,448 TVR Chimaera MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.4% fail rate, across model years 1993–2018.
What does the TVR Chimaera most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.6% of tests, then brakes (3.1%).
Which Chimaera years are best and worst for MOT results?
1998 has the best pass rate at 90.3% and 1995 the weakest at 86.8%, from 3,089 and 1,337 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Chimaera MOT results?
Fail rates run at 10.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 10.3% for 120-150k, a 0.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,448 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.