Triumph common problems and MOT failures

From 136,994 MOT tests in 2024, 10.4% of Triumph vehicles failed. Below are the most common reasons, ranked by how often they occur.

Top Triumph MOT failure reasons

#	Problem	Occurrences	% of failures
1	shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely	750	14.4%
2	tyre tread depth outside legal limits	737	14.2%
3	brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm	692	13.3%
4	significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake	592	11.4%
5	the aim of a headlamp is not within limits the requirements	493	9.5%
6	direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	424	8.1%
7	excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution	424	8.1%
8	number plate does not conform to the specified requirements	388	7.5%
9	audible warning not working	357	6.9%
10	stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	347	6.7%

What this means if you're buying a Triumph

The single most common MOT failure for Triumph is shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely, accounting for 14% of all failure items.

These figures are from real MOT inspections. They show what testers actually find wrong with Triumph vehicles. If you're viewing a used Triumph, it's worth checking these areas specifically.

Triumph models by MOT pass rate

Lowest pass rates first. These models have the most testable issues.

Model	Tests	Pass rate
Spitfire	691	78.4%
Herald	200	81.5%
Stag	1,459	82%
Speed Four	336	82.7%
Gt6	242	83.1%
Tr 7	451	83.8%
Dolomite	277	84.1%
Stag Auto	453	84.3%
Vitesse	264	84.8%
Tr6	1,372	85.3%
Tt600	413	85.7%
Daytona	6,523	85.9%
Bonneville America 865	421	86%
Speed Master 865	487	86.2%
Bonneville Speedmaster	308	86.4%

Buying a specific Triumph? 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