Pulse
BT
1,381 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where BTs pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 20.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
98.3%
Pass-after-fix
0.5%
Fail
1.2%
Avg miles
3,316
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
The picture
Bt: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 1,381 MOT tests, the Bt returns 98.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is headlamp aim out of spec. Lamp emitted colour, position and stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 3,316, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
5 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 02
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
4 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 03
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 04
Brake control has insufficient reserve travel
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 05
Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 06
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 07
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 08
Steering head bearings have excessive wear or play
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 09
A wheel bearing excessively rough
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
- 10
Switch insecure
2 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£18–£115
If every one of this BT's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Build your own retest budget.
Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
H7 / W21W bulb pack
A spare-bulb kit lives in the boot. Test morning is not the time to find your stop-lamp's gone.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a BT?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a BT and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.