1997 Aston Martin Db7 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1997 Aston Martin Db7 passed 90.2% of its 949 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (25.0% fail rate), the 1997 Db7 comes out 15.2pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (4.4%) and lighting & signalling (3.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and washers — service brake performance alone was recorded 17 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 15.7% versus 6.9%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 18.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 11.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 4.4% | 42 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 34 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.5% | 24 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.3% | 22 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.1% | 20 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.5% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 17 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 16 |
| 3 | Washers | 14 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 13 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 13 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 12 |
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 | 18.6% | 177 |
| 2 | Tyres | 11.7% | 111 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.8% | 83 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.5% | 71 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.9% | 46 |
| 6 | Other defects | 3.4% | 32 |
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 | 58 | 6.9% |
| 30-60k | 325 | 7.1% |
| 60-90k | 416 | 10.1% |
| 90-120k | 121 | 15.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 188 | 8.0% |
| 2022 | 193 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 211 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 181 | 8.3% |
| 2025 | 176 | 11.4% |
What to check before buying a 1997 Db7
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 4.4% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (4.4% 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 (3.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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
How many 1997 Aston Martin Db7s pass their MOT?
90.2% of the 949 1997 Aston Martin Db7 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1997 Aston Martin Db7?
Brakes, recorded in 4.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (3.6%).
Does the 1997 Db7 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.9% in the 0-30k band to 15.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 949 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.