Morgan common problems and MOT failures
From 8,960 MOT tests in 2024, 10.6% of Morgan vehicles failed. Below are the most common reasons, ranked by how often they occur.
Top Morgan MOT failure reasons
| # | Problem | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 90 |
| 2 | emissions levels exceed default limits | 79 |
| 3 | significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 77 |
| 4 | the aim of a headlamp is not within limits the requirements | 72 |
| 5 | an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 60 |
| 6 | brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 59 |
| 7 | windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 50 |
| 8 | stop lamps all missing or inoperative | 45 |
| 9 | lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 43 |
| 10 | headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led | 41 |
What this means if you're buying a Morgan
The single most common MOT failure for Morgan is steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, accounting for 15% of all failure items.
These figures are from real MOT inspections. They show what testers actually find wrong with Morgan vehicles. If you're viewing a used Morgan, it's worth checking these areas specifically.
Morgan models by MOT pass rate
Lowest pass rates first. These models have the most testable issues.
| Model | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 4/4 | 2,766 | 87.6% |
| Plus 8 | 1,155 | 89.3% |
| Roadster | 943 | 89.8% |
| Plus Four | 274 | 90.1% |
| Plus 4 | 2,229 | 90.5% |
| Aero 8 | 402 | 91.5% |
| Unclassified | 427 | 92.7% |
| Plus Four Auto | 217 | 97.7% |
Buying a specific Morgan? 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