2009 Alfa Romeo 147 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Alfa Romeo 147 passed 71.8% of its 1,459 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (25.2% fail rate), the 2009 147 comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.4%) and lighting & signalling (14.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and washers — pins and bushes alone was recorded 117 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 21.8% in the 30-60k band and 36.1% in the 150k+ band, a 14.3-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.3% fail against 29.3% for diesel, a 3.0-point gap across 1,459 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 27.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.4% | 210 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 205 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.0% | 146 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.2% | 119 |
| 5 | Tyres | 7.1% | 104 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.2% | 90 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 117 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 106 |
| 3 | Washers | 104 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 78 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 63 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 56 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 35.6% | 520 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.1% | 396 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.9% | 363 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.3% | 223 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 14.3% | 209 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.2% | 120 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 206 | 21.8% |
| 60-90k | 425 | 23.8% |
| 90-120k | 484 | 31.2% |
| 120-150k | 257 | 34.2% |
| 150k+ | 72 | 36.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 901 | 29.3% |
| Petrol | 558 | 26.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 370 | 27.3% |
| 2022 | 360 | 30.3% |
| 2023 | 286 | 26.6% |
| 2024 | 234 | 26.9% |
| 2025 | 209 | 29.7% |
What to check before buying a 2009 147
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 14.4% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (14.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (14.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.0% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2009 Alfa Romeo 147s pass their MOT?
71.8% of the 1,459 2009 Alfa Romeo 147 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Alfa Romeo 147?
Suspension, recorded in 14.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.1%).
Does the 2009 147 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.8% in the 30-60k band to 36.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,459 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.