The picture
135: above-average pass rates, with caveats
Across 1,297 MOT tests, the 135 returns 81.7% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. Tyre tread under the limit and a tyre with the cords showing round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 78,055, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
50 occurrences · 3.9% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
30 occurrences · 2.3% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
25 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
- 04
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
20 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 05
A tyre seriously damaged
18 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 06
A tyre seriously damaged
18 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 07
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
13 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 08
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
13 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 09
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
12 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 10
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
11 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 2 failures
£120–£190
If every one of this 135's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
Buying or keeping a 135?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a 135 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.