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Pass Your MOT

2001 Smart Car MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for Car models manufactured in 2001, based on 38 real MOT test results.

34.2%
Pass Rate
65.8%
Fail Rate
38
Total Tests
84,118
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

2001 Smart Car MOT Analysis

The 2001 Smart Car has an MOT pass rate of 34.2% based on 38 tests — significantly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 84,118 miles on the odometer. With a 65.8% failure rate, the 2001 Car is rated as "Very Poor" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 2001 Smart Car is Brakes, responsible for 13.2% of failures. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs range from £150–400. Tyres is the second most common issue at 5.3%. Driver's View of the Road follows at 2.6%.

⚠ Based on limited data (38 tests)

Top failures specific to 2001 models only. The overall Car page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

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
1Brakes13.2%5
2Tyres5.3%2
3Driver's View Of The Road2.6%1
4Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems2.6%1
5Suspension2.6%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 84,118 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.

Brakes1.56% per 10K miTyres0.63% per 10K miVisibility0.31% per 10K miSeat Belts0.31% per 10K miSuspension0.31% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Brakes1.5613.2%5
Tyres0.635.3%2
Visibility0.312.6%1
Seat Belts0.312.6%1
Suspension0.312.6%1

Mileage Statistics

84,118
Mean
58,032
Median
39,768
25th Percentile
115,264
75th Percentile
7.82% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate — accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 2001 Smart Car has an MOT pass rate of 34.2% based on 38 tests — significantly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 84,118 miles on the odometer. With a 65.8% failure rate, the 2001 Car is rated as "Very Poor" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 2001 Smart Car, be prepared for above-average maintenance costs. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to brakes: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm). With an average mileage of 84,118 miles, these vehicles are in the higher-mileage bracket where wear-related failures become more common.

Brakes — 13.2% of failures

Brakes issues account for 13.2% of MOT failures on 2001 Smart Car models. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).

Tyres — 5.3% of failures

Tyres issues account for 5.3% of MOT failures on 2001 Smart Car models. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.

Driver's View of the Road — 2.6% of failures

Driver's View of the Road issues account for 2.6% of MOT failures on 2001 Smart Car models. Driver's View of the Road issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.

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

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