Caterham common problems and MOT failures
From 6,299 MOT tests in 2024, 11.5% of Caterham vehicles failed. Below are the most common reasons, ranked by how often they occur.
Top Caterham MOT failure reasons
| # | Problem | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | emissions levels exceed default limits | 111 |
| 2 | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits the requirements | 77 |
| 3 | emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits | 68 |
| 4 | lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 57 |
| 5 | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 50 |
| 6 | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 47 |
| 7 | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 46 |
| 8 | direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 41 |
| 9 | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 27 |
| 10 | tyre tread depth outside legal limits | 26 |
What this means if you're buying a Caterham
The single most common MOT failure for Caterham is emissions levels exceed default limits, accounting for 20% of all failure items.
These figures are from real MOT inspections. They show what testers actually find wrong with Caterham vehicles. If you're viewing a used Caterham, it's worth checking these areas specifically.
Caterham models by MOT pass rate
Lowest pass rates first. These models have the most testable issues.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Seven | 512 | 85.4% |
| Super 7 | 704 | 86.6% |
| Unclassified | 2,035 | 87.9% |
| 7 | 399 | 89% |
| Seven (S3) | 1,974 | 89.5% |
Buying a specific Caterham? Check the individual vehicle's MOT history for free on GOV.UK to see its actual test results, advisories, and mileage readings.
Check MOT history on GOV.UK