2004 Aston Martin Vanquish — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 411 MOT tests, the 2004 Aston Martin Vanquish recorded an 89.0% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (27.7% fail rate), the 2004 Vanquish comes out 16.8pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, emissions & environmental and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 5.8% of tests against 2.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, linkage ball joint dust cover and malfunction indicator lamp — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 25 times.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 10.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.0% in 2021 to 4.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.8% | 24 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 10 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.4% | 10 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.5% | 6 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.5% | 6 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.5% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 25 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 14 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 9 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 8 |
| 5 | Track rod end | 8 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 3 |
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 | 10.7% | 44 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.8% | 36 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.9% | 20 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 3.9% | 16 |
| 5 | Other defects | 2.9% | 12 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.7% | 11 |
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 | 246 | 12.6% |
| 30-60k | 152 | 7.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 80 | 10.0% |
| 2022 | 95 | 14.7% |
| 2023 | 83 | 12.0% |
| 2024 | 80 | 12.5% |
| 2025 | 73 | 4.1% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Vanquish
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 5.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (5.8% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.4% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (2.4% 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.
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 2004 Aston Martin Vanquishs pass their MOT?
89.0% of the 411 2004 Aston Martin Vanquish MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Aston Martin Vanquish?
Suspension, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (2.4%).
Does the 2004 Vanquish get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.6% in the 0-30k band to 7.9% in the 30-60k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 411 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.