Triumph
S
4,904 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Ss pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.9%
Pass-after-fix
5.6%
Fail
5.3%
Avg miles
15,367
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
S: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 3,682 MOT tests, the S returns 89.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Audible warning not working and a stop-lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 13,852, 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
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
21 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 02
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
20 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp throwing direct white light to the rear
19 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 04
Audible warning not working
18 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 05
Reflector missing or reflecting white to the rear
18 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 06
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
17 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 07
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
17 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 08
Reflector colour or position not in accordance with the requirements
13 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 09
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
12 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 10
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
11 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£68–£130
If every one of this S'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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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
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
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Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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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 an S?
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 an S 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.