Triumph
Thunderbird
5,271 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where Thunderbirds pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
89.3%
Pass-after-fix
5.2%
Fail
5.3%
Avg miles
18,829
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
Thunderbird: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 3,217 MOT tests, the Thunderbird returns 90.6% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Brake pads worn below 1.0 mm and a non-functioning shock absorber round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 17,707, 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
39 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 02
A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
26 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
- 03
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
20 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 04
A stop lamp(s) does not illuminate by the operation of both brake controls or remains on when the brakes are released
19 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
- 05
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
15 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps
14 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 07
A lamp missing or inoperative
13 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 08
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
13 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 09
Audible warning sound not in accordance with requirements
12 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
- 10
Rear registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps
12 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 3 failures
£148–£290
If every one of this Thunderbird'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
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
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.
Recall history
6 UK recalls on record.
The Thunderbird has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
Buying or keeping a Thunderbird?
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 Thunderbird 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.