Aston Martin Dbs MOT pass rate & common failures
6,718 MOT tests on the Aston Martin Dbs (1989–2023) give it a 94.8% pass rate. That is 13.3 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.5%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.0%) and tyres (1.4%) 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 registration plates — headlamp aim alone was recorded 93 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Dbs fails 4.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 7.4% at 60-90k, a spread of only 2.9 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 11.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 7.4% in 2021 to 4.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Dbs model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 556 | 94.1% | 5.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 1,074 | 93.3% | 6.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 989 | 94.3% | 5.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 753 | 93.4% | 6.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 629 | 92.4% | 7.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 299 | 97.7% | 2.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 1,305 | 96.3% | 3.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 644 | 96.7% | 3.3% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 279 | 96.8% | 3.2% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 114 | 96.5% | 3.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 201 |
| 2 | Tyres | 1.4% | 94 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.9% | 59 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 44 |
| 5 | Other defects | 0.5% | 36 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.5% | 36 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.2% | 16 |
| 8 | Suspension | 0.2% | 12 |
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 | 93 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 69 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 55 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 39 |
| 5 | Washers | 35 |
| 6 | Wipers | 34 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 29 |
| 8 | Side repeaters | 28 |
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 | 11.8% | 796 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.1% | 210 |
| 3 | Other defects | 2.0% | 135 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.0% | 134 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.3% | 87 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 1.1% | 73 |
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 | 5,082 | 4.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,433 | 7.8% |
| 60-90k | 176 | 7.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 933 | 7.4% |
| 2022 | 1,252 | 5.8% |
| 2023 | 1,403 | 4.8% |
| 2024 | 1,490 | 4.4% |
| 2025 | 1,640 | 4.8% |
What to check before buying a Aston Martin Dbs
- Lighting & signalling (3.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (1.4% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (0.9% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Aston Martin Dbs?
94.8% of the 6,718 Aston Martin Dbs MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.3% fail rate, across model years 1989–2023.
What does the Aston Martin Dbs most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.0% of tests, then tyres (1.4%).
How much does mileage affect Dbs MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 7.4% for 60-90k, a 2.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,718 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.