Aston Martin Db9 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 19 model years and 23,183 tests, the Aston Martin Db9 passes its MOT 91.9% of the time. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (19.9% fail rate), the Db9 comes out 11.8pp better. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
Best and worst Db9 years
Ranked across Db9 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 — 95.7% of 2015 examples pass against 89.3% of 2004 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.9%) and visibility (1.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, position lamp and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 459 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.4% versus 5.2%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 13.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Db9 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 1,418 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 5,554 | 91.2% | 8.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 3,215 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,514 | 91.0% | 9.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 2,456 | 92.0% | 8.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,209 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 1,022 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 471 | 92.1% | 7.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 406 | 91.4% | 8.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 880 | 94.0% | 6.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 905 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Tyres |
| 2015 | 1,065 | 95.7% | 4.3% | Tyres |
| 2016 | 865 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Tyres |
| 2017 | 179 | 98.3% | 1.7% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 904 |
| 2 | Visibility | 1.8% | 427 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.8% | 423 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 367 |
| 5 | Tyres | 1.4% | 313 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.3% | 311 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.4% | 92 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 77 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 459 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 381 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 318 |
| 4 | Wipers | 280 |
| 5 | Coil spring | 255 |
| 6 | Washers | 222 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 141 |
| 8 | Registration plates | 140 |
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 | 13.6% | 3,159 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.7% | 2,474 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.3% | 989 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.7% | 629 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.3% | 530 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 481 |
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 | 8,908 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 10,492 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,148 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 447 | 15.2% |
| 120-150k | 107 | 15.9% |
| 150k+ | 53 | 26.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,867 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 4,786 | 8.2% |
| 2023 | 4,663 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 4,436 | 7.9% |
| 2025 | 4,431 | 8.2% |
What to check before buying a Aston Martin Db9
- Lighting & signalling (3.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.8% 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.
- Brakes (1.8% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Aston Martin Db9?
91.9% of the 23,183 Aston Martin Db9 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.1% fail rate, across model years 2003–2021.
What does the Aston Martin Db9 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.9% of tests, then visibility (1.8%).
Which Db9 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2015 has the best pass rate at 95.7% and 2004 the weakest at 89.3%, from 1,065 and 1,418 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Db9 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.4% for 150k+, a 21.2-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 23,183 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.