Smart Forfour Pulse
From 217 MOT tests. Below average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements and headlamp reflector or lens seriously defective or missing. The top issue, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, caused 14 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 14 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 14 |
| headlamp reflector or lens seriously defective or missing | 8 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 7 |
| parking brake inoperative on one side | 7 |
| a headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 6 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 6 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 6 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 6 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 6 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 16.2% of Forfour Pulse failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 26.2% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £101.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 55.8% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
Typical mileage
Half of all Forfour Pulses tested had between 76,967 and 132,388 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 112,351 median miles, the Forfour Pulse has 0.037 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Smart models
Common questions
What is the Smart Forfour Pulse MOT pass rate?
The Smart Forfour Pulse has a 58.1% MOT pass rate based on 217 real MOT tests. This is below the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Smart Forfour Pulse?
The most common MOT failure on the Smart Forfour Pulse is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which caused 14 failures. Other common issues include the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements.
What is the typical mileage of a Smart Forfour Pulse at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Smart Forfour Pulse is 112,351 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 76,967 and 132,388 miles.
Buying a used Forfour Pulse?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 58.1% pass rate and an average repair bill of £101 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.