Does the Smart Fortwo fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Smart Fortwo records 14.22 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 18.09 expected for a car of the same age mix: less than expected for its class and age (−3.87, 95% interval −4.02 to −3.72). It ranks 489 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 Smart Fortwo by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Smart Fortwo is “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements”, recorded 9,477 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 9,477 | 3.04 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 5,413 | 1.74 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 5,269 | 1.69 |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 5,076 | 1.63 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 4,581 | 1.47 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 311,254 (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 Smart Fortwo gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
21.0% of Smart Fortwo 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 3,288 miles later (4,044 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,044 (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
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