Does the Kia Carens fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Kia Carens records 20.96 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 15.85 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+5.11, 95% interval +4.83 to +5.38). It ranks 147 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Kia Carens by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Kia Carens is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 3,911 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 3,911 | 3.77 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 3,313 | 3.19 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,621 | 2.52 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 2,536 | 2.44 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 1,928 | 1.86 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 103,823 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Kia Carens gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
35.1% of Kia Carens MOTs with a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 4,953 miles later (925 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 925 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Kia Carens 2003 · Kia Carens 2004 · Kia Carens 2005 · Kia Carens 2006 · Kia Carens 2007 · Kia Carens 2008 · Kia Carens 2009 · Kia Carens 2010 · Kia Carens 2011 · Kia Carens 2012 · Kia Carens 2013 · Kia Carens 2014 · Kia Carens 2015 · Kia Carens 2016 · Kia Carens 2017 · Kia Carens 2018 · Kia Carens 2019 · Kia Carens in Finland · Kia Carens in the Netherlands · Kia Carens by postcode area · Kia Carens body, chassis and structure failures · Kia Carens brakes failures · Kia Carens vehicle identification failures · Kia Carens noise, emissions and leaks failures · Kia Carens road wheels failures · Kia Carens seat belts and airbags failures · Kia Carens steering failures · Kia Carens suspension failures · Kia Carens tyres failures · Kia Carens visibility failures