Dodge Caliber MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics

Dodge Caliber MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average

The Dodge Caliber passed on its first attempt in 56.4%, and its overall record sits −14.6 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Dodge Caliber in the 2023–2025 data: 3,418 tests across 4 model years (2006–2009). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.

Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.

Most Common Dodge Caliber MOT Problems by Failure Category

Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Dodge Caliber, the Suspension section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.

Shares are over the Dodge Caliber's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.

Top Recorded Dodge Caliber DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions

The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Dodge Caliber, each with how many of the model's 3,418 tests it was noted on.

• "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 252 Dodge Caliber tests, 7.4% of the model's MOT record.
• "Position lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 251 Dodge Caliber tests, 7.3% of the model's MOT record.
• "Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 239 Dodge Caliber tests, 7.0% of the model's MOT record.
• "Ball joint excessively worn" (Major) — noted on about 235 Dodge Caliber tests, 6.9% of the model's MOT record.
• "Track rod end ball joint has excessive play" (Major) — noted on about 162 Dodge Caliber tests, 4.7% of the model's MOT record.
• "Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak" (Major) — noted on about 142 Dodge Caliber tests, 4.2% of the model's MOT record.

Best and Worst Dodge Caliber Model Years by Pass Rate

The strongest Dodge Caliber model year on record is 2006 (68.7% across 731 tests), and the weakest is 2009 (65.2%). The gap between them is 3.5 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.

Dodge Caliber reliability is declining in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 1.1 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.

Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.

Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Dodge Caliber Owners

These checks follow this Dodge Caliber's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Dodge Caliber.

• the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”

  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 suspension joints — “pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn”

  With the car parked on level ground, rock the top of each front wheel in and out while someone watches the suspension arm. Clunks, or rubber boots split and greasy, are what testers record here.

• the shock absorbers — “shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak”

  Press down hard on each corner of the car and let go. It should settle in one bounce; if it keeps rocking, or you can see oil weeping down a shock absorber, that is the fault a tester will find.

Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Dodge Caliber. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.

Frequently Asked Questions: Dodge Caliber MOT & Reliability