2016 Caterham Unclassified — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 669 MOT tests analysed for the 2016 Caterham Unclassified, the most common recorded failure areas were lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and brakes. Its pass rate of 91.5% was above the average for cars of a similar age (85.9%).
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.9% | 46 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 20 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 13 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.1% | 7 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.9% | 6 |
| 6 | Tyres | 0.6% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 28 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 17 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 12 |
| 4 | Valve stem | 11 |
| 5 | Reversing lamps | 9 |
| 6 | Ball joint dust cover | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.8% | 52 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.9% | 46 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 13 |
| 4 | Steering | 0.8% | 5 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 5 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.6% | 4 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 648 | 8.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 134 | 9.7% |
| 2022 | 142 | 8.5% |
| 2023 | 134 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 133 | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 126 | 4.8% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Unclassified
Before buying a 2016 Caterham Unclassified, focus on the areas it most often fails on. Lighting & signalling accounted for 6.9% of tests for this year.
- Lighting & signalling (6.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (1.9% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2016 Caterham Unclassifieds pass their MOT?
91.5% of the 669 2016 Caterham Unclassified MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 8.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Caterham Unclassified?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.9% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.0%).
Methodology & source. Based on 669 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.