Tesla
Model S Long Range Awd
1,946 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Model S Long Range Awds pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 8.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
85.6%
Pass-after-fix
4.1%
Fail
9.4%
Avg miles
52,953
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are exempt from all UK clean air zone charges.
The picture
Model S Long Range Awd: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 990 MOT tests, the Model S Long Range Awd returns 82.1% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a tyre with the cords showing. A defective wiper blade and wipers that don't clear the screen round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 39,412, 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.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 42–50
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
42–50
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
57 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 02
A tyre cords visible or damaged
57 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 03
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
31 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 04
Wiper blade defective
27 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
26 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
- 06
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
15 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 07
A tyre seriously damaged
15 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
14 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 09
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
12 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
11 occurrences · 0.6% 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 3 failures
£140–£235
If every one of this Model S Long Range Awd'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
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Motor World
Motor World Tesla X Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Tesla Model 3 2017- Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Tesla Model 3 Trunk Back Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
Motor World
Motor World Tesla Model Y 2022- Car Floor Mat Set
£32.99
View at My Motor World →
EV King · affiliate
EV charging & accessories
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
EV Charging Cables
8M - 32amp (3 Phase)- Blaupunkt Type 2 Charging Cable 32amp - 3 Phase (22kW) 8M
£329.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
15M - 32amp -Type 2 to Type 2 Charging Cable Type 2 to Type 2 15M 32amp (7.4kW)
£315.00
View at EV King →
EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Evoque Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
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EV Charging Cables
3 Pin to Type 2 - 10M - Range Rover Sport Charging Cable 3 Pin to Type 2 10M 6-12amp Adjustable (2.3kW)
£297.00
View at EV King →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
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Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
More than just a car the Tesla Model S is a revolution, the Californian firm catching the established legacy car manufacturers napping and delivering a useable electric car to the public, and a charging network to help power it.
Buying or keeping a Model S Long Range Awd?
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 Model S Long Range Awd 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.