Pass rate, every year
91.6% Above average
166 tests across 3 model years, 2007–2011.
+10.6 pts vs the national average
Caterham Seven MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2008 92.5%
The strongest of the 3 years on record. See the 2008 page →
Worst year to buy
2007 90.3%
2.2 points below the 2008 peak. See the 2007 page →
The Caterham Seven MOT pass rate is 91.6%, +10.6 percentage points above the UK average. That is 166 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2007 and 2011. This page lists the most common Caterham Seven MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
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Caterham Seven MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Caterham Seven passed on its first attempt in 90.9%, and its overall record sits +10.6 percentage points above the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Caterham Seven in the 2023–2025 data: 166 tests across 3 model years (2007–2011). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 166 |
| Overall pass rate | 91.6% |
| Passed on first attempt | 90.9% |
| Average mileage at test | 21,227 mi |
| Model years covered | 2007–2011 (3 years) |
| Versus UK national average | +10.6 pts above |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Caterham Seven MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Caterham Seven, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 55% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 8% |
| Suspension | 8% |
| Visibility | 8% |
| Steering | 8% |
| Brakes | 5% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 3% |
Shares are over the Caterham Seven's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 55% of the recorded Caterham Seven failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Headlamp aim too low" (2.4%), "Position lamp not working" (1.8%), "Reversing lamps inoperative" (1.8%) among the Caterham Seven's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Noise, emissions and leaks
Around 8% of the recorded Caterham Seven failures fall in the Noise, emissions and leaks section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Catalyst emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits" (0.6%), "Catalyst emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits" (0.6%), "Catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard" (0.6%) among the Caterham Seven's noise, emissions and leaks faults.
Suspension
Around 8% of the recorded Caterham Seven failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (0.6%), "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (0.6%), "Ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt" (0.6%) among the Caterham Seven's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Caterham Seven DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Caterham Seven, each with how many of the model's 166 tests it was noted on.
- "Headlamp aim too low" (Major) — noted on about 4 Caterham Seven tests, 2.4% of the model's MOT record.
- "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 3 Caterham Seven tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Reversing lamps inoperative" (Major) — noted on about 3 Caterham Seven tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 3 Caterham Seven tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Headlamp aim too high" (Major) — noted on about 3 Caterham Seven tests, 1.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Individual direction indicators insecure" (Minor) — noted on about 2 Caterham Seven tests, 1.2% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Caterham Seven Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Caterham Seven model year on record is 2008 (92.5% across 53 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (90.3%). The gap between them is 2.2 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Caterham Seven reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.0 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 Seven | 51 | 92.2% |
| 2008 Seven | 53 | 92.5% |
| 2007 Seven | 62 | 90.3% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Caterham Seven Owners
These checks follow this Caterham Seven's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Caterham Seven.
-
the lights — “headlamp aim too low”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
the steering — “steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt”
With the wheels straight, rock the steering wheel gently with the engine off — more than about an inch of free play before the wheels move is worth investigating. Split rack gaiters are cheap to replace and commonly recorded.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Caterham Seven. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Caterham Seven MOT & Reliability
What is the Caterham Seven MOT pass rate?
91.6% of the 166 recorded Caterham Seven MOT tests ended in a pass, +10.6 percentage points above the national average. 90.9% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Caterham Seven model years pass the MOT most often?
2008 is the strongest Caterham Seven year on record at 92.5%, while 2007 is the weakest at 90.3%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Caterham Seven MOT failures?
The most recorded Caterham Seven failures are "Headlamp aim too low" and "Position lamp not working" — together around 4% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.