Alfa Romeo 159 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Alfa Romeo 159 appears in 27,331 MOT tests spanning model years 2003–2021, and 70.3% of them passed. That is 8.0 percentage points worse than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 21.7%. Its most common failure areas are suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
Best and worst 159 years
Ranked across 159 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 73.1% of 2011 examples pass against 68.4% of 2006 ones.
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 15.7% of tests against 12.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), coil spring and component mounting prescribed areas — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 2,166 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.6% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.2% fail against 30.6% for diesel, a 4.4-point gap across 27,331 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 30.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every 159 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2,071 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 5,693 | 68.9% | 31.1% | Suspension |
| 2008 | 5,473 | 69.7% | 30.3% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 5,658 | 70.3% | 29.8% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 4,729 | 71.1% | 28.9% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 3,072 | 73.1% | 26.9% | Suspension |
| 2012 | 595 | 74.8% | 25.2% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 15.7% | 4,284 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 3,291 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 3,189 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.3% | 1,994 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.5% | 1,776 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 1,338 |
| 7 | Visibility | 4.1% | 1,132 |
| 8 | Steering | 2.6% | 718 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 2,166 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 2,088 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 1,303 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,181 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,003 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 958 |
| 7 | Ball joint | 952 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 900 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 30.6% | 8,363 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.5% | 8,064 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.4% | 6,683 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 16.1% | 4,398 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 2,769 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 9.5% | 2,588 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 142 | 15.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,236 | 21.8% |
| 60-90k | 5,069 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 8,386 | 29.3% |
| 120-150k | 7,479 | 32.5% |
| 150k+ | 5,010 | 32.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 21,700 | 30.6% |
| Petrol | 5,631 | 26.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,446 | 29.6% |
| 2022 | 6,431 | 28.9% |
| 2023 | 5,448 | 29.8% |
| 2024 | 4,431 | 30.3% |
| 2025 | 3,575 | 30.2% |
What to check before buying a Alfa Romeo 159
- Suspension (15.7% 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.
- Brakes (12.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Alfa Romeo 159?
70.3% of the 27,331 Alfa Romeo 159 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 29.7% fail rate, across model years 2003–2021.
What does the Alfa Romeo 159 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 15.7% of tests, then brakes (12.0%).
Which 159 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 73.1% and 2006 the weakest at 68.4%, from 3,072 and 2,071 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 159 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 32.6% for 150k+, a 17.1-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 159 more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 26.2% of the time against 30.6% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 27,331 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.