1992 TVR Griffith — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 1,009 MOT tests, the 1992 TVR Griffith recorded an 89.0% pass rate. That is 11.9 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.0%) and emissions & environmental (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, non catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 45 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1992 Griffith fails 7.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 10.8% at 90-120k, a spread of only 3.3 points.
Emissions & environmental is the most common advisory, noted on 10.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 12.0% in 2021 to 9.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 71 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 57 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.1% | 31 |
| 4 | Brakes | 1.6% | 16 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.1% | 11 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.0% | 10 |
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 | 45 |
| 2 | Non catalyst emissions | 33 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 26 |
| 4 | Washers | 23 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 17 |
| 6 | Stop 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 | Emissions & environmental | 10.8% | 109 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.1% | 62 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.9% | 60 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 52 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 44 |
| 6 | Other defects | 2.6% | 26 |
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 | 107 | 7.5% |
| 30-60k | 456 | 11.2% |
| 60-90k | 323 | 11.2% |
| 90-120k | 93 | 10.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 216 | 12.0% |
| 2022 | 213 | 9.4% |
| 2023 | 193 | 11.9% |
| 2024 | 195 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 192 | 9.9% |
What to check before buying a 1992 Griffith
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (5.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (3.1% 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
How many 1992 TVR Griffiths pass their MOT?
89.0% of the 1,009 1992 TVR Griffith MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1992 TVR Griffith?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.0% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (5.7%).
Does the 1992 Griffith get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.5% in the 0-30k band to 10.8% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,009 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.