Tvr 400 MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 310 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 24.5%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Tvr 400 MOT Reliability Overview
The Tvr 400 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 310 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.5% and a failure rate of 24.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Tvr 400 earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Tvr 400 presents for MOT with approximately 50,658 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 1992 models achieve the highest pass rate at 94.3%, while 1990 models have the lowest at 71.4%. This 22.9 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Tvr 400 is Suspension, affecting 15.2% of all tests. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. The second most common issue is Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment at 12.9%. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment rounds out the top three at 11.9%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* 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
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 30.0% | 93 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.4% | 60 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.8% | 52 |
| 4 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 6.8% | 21 |
| 5 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 6.5% | 20 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.1% | 19 |
| 7 | Tyres | 5.8% | 18 |
| 8 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 3.5% | 11 |
| 9 | Visibility | 1.9% | 6 |
| 10 | Driver's View Of The Road | 1.6% | 5 |
| 11 | Body, Structure And General Items | 1.6% | 5 |
| 12 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.3% | 4 |
| 13 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.0% | 3 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 50,658 miFor 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.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps & Electrical | 5.93 | 30.0% | 93 |
| Suspension | 3.82 | 19.4% | 60 |
| Brakes | 3.31 | 16.8% | 52 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 1.34 | 6.8% | 21 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.27 | 6.5% | 20 |
| Steering | 1.21 | 6.1% | 19 |
| Tyres | 1.15 | 5.8% | 18 |
| Body & Structure | 1.02 | 5.1% | 16 |
| Visibility | 0.70 | 3.5% | 11 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.25 | 1.3% | 4 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.19 | 1.0% | 3 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Tvr 400 has 50,658 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.
The Tvr 400 has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.84% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Tvr 400 MOT Data
The Tvr 400 is a rare vehicle in the UK, with 310 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 4 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.5% and a failure rate of 24.5%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Tvr 400 owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on suspension 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 400 is likely to perform.
Suspension — 15.2% of failures
Suspension issues account for 15.2% of MOT failures on the Tvr 400. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.9% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 12.9% of MOT failures on the Tvr 400. 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 — 11.9% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 11.9% of MOT failures on the Tvr 400. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Tvr 400?
Based on 310 MOT tests in our database, the Tvr 400 has an overall pass rate of 75.5% (24.5% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Tvr 400?
The top 3 reasons a Tvr 400 fails its MOT are: 1. Suspension (15.2%), 2. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (12.9%), 3. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (11.9%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Tvr 400 reliable?
With a 24.5% MOT failure rate, the 400 is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Tvr 400?
Based on failure data, focus on: Suspension (15.2%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (12.9%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (11.9%). 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.