2014 Vauxhall Ampera — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,844 MOT tests, the 2014 Vauxhall Ampera recorded an 80.6% pass rate. That is 1.0 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.4%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.1%) and tyres (6.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, malfunction indicator lamp and side repeaters — joints alone was recorded 130 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.1% in the 0-30k band and 29.3% in the 150k+ band, a 21.2-point spread — more than double.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 203 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.6% | 188 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 126 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.4% | 124 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.6% | 103 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 98 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 130 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 98 |
| 3 | Side repeaters | 85 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 68 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 67 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 63 |
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 | 27.0% | 769 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.2% | 717 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.3% | 237 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 231 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.0% | 227 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 150 |
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 | 123 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 681 | 13.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,043 | 19.4% |
| 90-120k | 657 | 23.4% |
| 120-150k | 224 | 25.4% |
| 150k+ | 116 | 29.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 555 | 14.1% |
| 2022 | 563 | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 578 | 20.8% |
| 2024 | 574 | 22.8% |
| 2025 | 574 | 23.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Ampera
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 7.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (7.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.6% 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.
- Brakes (4.4% 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 2014 Vauxhall Amperas pass their MOT?
80.6% of the 2,844 2014 Vauxhall Ampera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Vauxhall Ampera?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by tyres (6.6%).
Does the 2014 Ampera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.1% in the 0-30k band to 29.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,844 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.