MOT History from tests of petrol MG MGBs year 1971

Review the list of common MG MGB failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your MG then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history

Pass percent:73.49%

(The average a petrol MG MGB year 1971 passes without issue)

Based on:35,464 MOT Tests

Most common failures	No# failures
Headlamp aim out of alignment	1464
Registration plate lamp issues	1017
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	956
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively	871
Horn not working \|1.6.2a\|	796
Rear brake binding	736
Brakes imbalanced across an axle	632
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort	513
Offside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	405
Nearside Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	392
Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	314
Rear brake application uneven	299
Offside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	277
Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	270
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	247
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	237
Offside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	235
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	234
Nearside Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	234
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	214
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	202
Fuel system component leaking \|7.2.3\|	198
Brake hose excessively deteriorated	185
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel \|3.1.6b\|	182
Service brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.B.7\|	162
Direction indicators not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	146
Brake pipe excessively corroded	141
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	127
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	127
Registration plate issues	119
Offside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	116
Nearside front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	112
Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	111
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	110
Direction indicators flashing less than 60 times a minute \|1.4.A.2g\|	109
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	106
Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	101
Offside rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	99
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	94
Battery insecure \|1.9.1\|	92
Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	92
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	92
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	92
Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	92
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	87
Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split \|2.2.D.2d\|	87
Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.5.A.2\|	87
Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement	87
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	86
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	86
Windscreen washer not working	85
Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	85
Offside Front Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	84
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	79
Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	78
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	75
Offside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	74
Driver`s seat insecure \|6.2.A.1\|	74
Nearside Front Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	72
Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	70
Offside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	68
Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	67
Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.5.A.3c\|	67
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	66
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements \|3.7.C.1b\|	66
All position lamps not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	65
Nearside Front Front position lamp\|s\| not working \|1.1.A.3b\|	64
Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.5.A.2\|	64
Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak \|2.7.3\|	63
Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	63
Front brake application uneven	62
Nearside Rear position lamp\|s\| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance \|1.1.A.3d\|	58
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	58
Offside Front front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	57
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam \|1.7.5a\|	57
Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on \|8.2.1b\|	56
Offside Front wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.5.A.3c\|	55
Offside Rear Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	55
Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam \|1.7.5a\|	54
Brake hose has insufficient room to move	52
Hazard warning switch faulty \|1.4.B.1d\|	51
Nearside Front Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering \|2.5.A.3a\|	51
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	50
Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working \|1.4.A.2c\|	50
Nearside Front front brake binding \|3.7.B.1\|	49
Offside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect \|2.7.5\|	48
Nearside Rear Braking system leaking \|3.6.A.1\|	47
Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases \|7.1.2\|	47
Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on \|1.4.B.1f\|	46
Nearside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	45
Hazard warning lamps inoperative \|1.4.B.1b\|	44
Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	44
Rear Stop lamp not working \|1.2.1b\|	44
Offside Front Axle king pin has excessive play in pin and/or bush adversely affecting the steering \|2.5.A.3a\|	44
Offside Rear Wheel insecure \|4.2.A.1c\|	44
Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off \|1.4.B.1f\|	43
Exhaust system not adequately supported \|7.1.1\|	43
Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	42
Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	41
Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement	41
Nearside Rear Wheel insecure \|4.2.A.1c\|	41
Fuel pipe leaking \|7.2.3\|	40
Windscreen wiper blade insecure	40
rear brakes release unevenly \|3.7.B.4\|	39
Windscreen has damage	39
Nearside Front Wheel insecure \|4.2.A.1c\|	38
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	38
Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	38
Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	37
Headlamp switch faulty \|1.7.1\|	37
Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|3.6.C.3\|	37
Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort \|3.7.B.5a\|	37
Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing \|3.3.A.1b\|	37
Nearside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	37
Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.6.2\|	37
Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.2.C.1c\|	37
Brake pedal spongy \|3.3.B.1b\|	37
Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))	36
Offside Front Wheel insecure \|4.2.A.1c\|	36
Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on \|8.2.1b\|	34
Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.2.C.1c\|	34
Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	34
Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated \|8.2.2\|	34
Horn not working \|7.7 \|a\| \|ii\|\|	33
Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.5.A.3c\|	33
Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated \|2.5.A.2\|	32
Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user \|1.6.2b\|	32
Brake hose damaged	32
Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded \|5.2.6\|	32
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	31
Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|3.6.C.3\|	31
Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired \|2.4.A.3\|	31
Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.2.C.1c\|	30
Parking brake efficiency below requirements \|1.4.2 \|a\| \|i\|\|	30
Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	30
Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded \|2.4.A.3\|	30
Steering column movement between the shaft and steering wheel \|2.1.2b\|	30
Offside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	29
Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated \|8.2.2\|	29
Offside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play \|2.5.A.3c\|	29
Nearside Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	29
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt \|2.2.C.1c\|	29
Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings \|6.1.B.2\|	29
rear parking \|secondary\| brakes imbalanced	29
Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii))	29
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush \|2.4.G.2\|	29

We get to these numbers by trawling through over 1 billion MOT test results since 2004 and crunched the numbers. We remove anything to do with Tyres, as they are model independent and group together common non-model specific issues. We are trying to get to a picture of what models have what issues.

Please note: We take the data from the DVSA. This data is raw and can contain typos and spelling mistakes that garages may have entered while recording a MOT result. Specifically miss-match on names of models and makes. We are constantly cleaning the data so bear with the odd issue.

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MOT History from tests of petrol MG MGBs year 1971

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