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Caterham Sv MOT Pass Rate

Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 37 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 13.5%.

86.5%
Pass Rate
13.5%
Fail Rate
37
Total Tests
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Top Failure

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Caterham Sv MOT Reliability Overview

The Caterham Sv is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 37 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 0 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.5% and a failure rate of 13.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.

Based on this data, the Caterham Sv earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Caterham Sv presents for MOT with approximately 20,875 miles on the clock.

The most common MOT failure for the Caterham Sv is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, affecting 8.1% of all tests. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 5.4%. Steering rounds out the top three at 5.4%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.

⚠ Based on limited data (37 tests)

Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.

What Fails Most

⚖️ Compare

* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment16.2%6
2Steering5.4%2

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 20,875 mi

For every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.

Lamps & Electrical7.76% per 10K miSteering2.59% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Lamps & Electrical7.7616.2%6
Steering2.595.4%2

🚗 Similar Cars to Consider

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Mileage at MOT

20,875
Mean
13,434
Median
10,899
25th Percentile
26,920
75th Percentile

The average Caterham Sv has 20,875 miles when tested for MOT.

📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate

How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.

6.47%
Fail Rate per 10K Miles
Average across all makes: 5.38%
13.5%
Overall Fail Rate
20,875 avg miles
⚠️ Average — typical failure rate

The Caterham Sv has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 6.47% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.

About Caterham Sv MOT Data

The Caterham Sv is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 37 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 0 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 86.5% and a failure rate of 13.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.

For Caterham Sv owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Sv is likely to perform.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 8.1% of failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 8.1% of MOT failures on the Caterham Sv. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 5.4% of failures

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 5.4% of MOT failures on the Caterham Sv. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.

Steering — 5.4% of failures

Steering issues account for 5.4% of MOT failures on the Caterham Sv. Steering failures include excessive play in the steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, worn track rod ends, and damaged steering rack. These affect vehicle control and are closely related to suspension wear. Typical repair costs: £150–600. Pre-MOT check: Check for excessive steering wheel play (more than a few inches of free movement). Listen for whining from the power steering pump. Look for fluid leaks under the car near the front wheels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for the Caterham Sv?

Based on 37 (based on limited data) MOT tests in our database, the Caterham Sv has an overall pass rate of 86.5% (13.5% fail rate).

What are the most common MOT failures on a Caterham Sv?

The top 3 reasons a Caterham Sv fails its MOT are: 1. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (8.1%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (5.4%), 3. Steering (5.4%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.

Is the Caterham Sv reliable?

With a 13.5% MOT failure rate, the Sv is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.

What should I check before an MOT on my Caterham Sv?

Based on failure data, focus on: Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (8.1%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (5.4%); Steering (5.4%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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