1990 Vauxhall Cavalier — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier passed 83.8% of its 296 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 21.9% of the time, so this is 5.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.1%) and lighting & signalling (7.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and wheel bearings — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 37 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1990 Cavalier fails 17.2% of the time in the 30-60k band and 20.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.3 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 20.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 17.8% in 2021 to 10.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.1% | 27 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 21 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.7% | 17 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.1% | 15 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 10 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.7% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 37 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 10 |
| 3 | Wheel bearings | 9 |
| 4 | Non catalyst emissions | 8 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 7 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 7 |
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 | 20.3% | 60 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.3% | 57 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.9% | 47 |
| 4 | Brakes | 15.2% | 45 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.5% | 25 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.7% | 14 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 64 | 17.2% |
| 60-90k | 84 | 19.1% |
| 90-120k | 55 | 16.4% |
| 120-150k | 43 | 9.3% |
| 150k+ | 39 | 20.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 73 | 17.8% |
| 2022 | 66 | 15.2% |
| 2023 | 62 | 21.0% |
| 2024 | 55 | 14.5% |
| 2025 | 40 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a 1990 Cavalier
On a 1990 Cavalier, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (9.1% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (5.7% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1990 Vauxhall Cavaliers pass their MOT?
83.8% of the 296 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier?
Suspension, recorded in 9.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.1%).
Does the 1990 Cavalier get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.2% in the 30-60k band to 20.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 296 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.