Does the Kia Picanto fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Kia Picanto records 12.93 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 15.17 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−2.24, 95% interval −2.32 to −2.16). It ranks 416 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 Picanto by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Kia Picanto is “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”, recorded 29,853 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 | 29,853 | 3.01 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 27,110 | 2.74 |
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 11,682 | 1.18 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | 8,863 | 0.89 |
| A battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier | 7,032 | 0.71 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 990,523 (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 Picanto gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
28.1% of Kia Picanto 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 4,303 miles later (7,089 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 7,089 (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 Picanto 2004 · Kia Picanto 2005 · Kia Picanto 2006 · Kia Picanto 2007 · Kia Picanto 2008 · Kia Picanto 2009 · Kia Picanto 2010 · Kia Picanto 2011 · Kia Picanto 2012 · Kia Picanto 2013 · Kia Picanto 2014 · Kia Picanto 2015 · Kia Picanto 2016 · Kia Picanto 2017 · Kia Picanto 2018 · Kia Picanto 2019 · Kia Picanto 2020 · Kia Picanto in Norway · Kia Picanto in Finland · Kia Picanto in the Netherlands · Kia Picanto by postcode area · Kia Picanto body, chassis and structure failures · Kia Picanto brakes failures · Kia Picanto vehicle identification failures · Kia Picanto noise, emissions and leaks failures · Kia Picanto road wheels failures · Kia Picanto seat belts and airbags failures · Kia Picanto steering failures · Kia Picanto suspension failures · Kia Picanto tyres failures · Kia Picanto visibility failures