2009 Chevrolet Cruze — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Chevrolet Cruze passed 73.8% of its 1,858 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.0 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.1%) and suspension (12.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, coil spring and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 127 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 19.5% in the 0-30k band and 31.1% in the 150k+ band, a 11.6-point spread.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 26.1% of the time against 26.3% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.1% | 243 |
| 2 | Suspension | 12.8% | 238 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.1% | 187 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.7% | 125 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.9% | 109 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 109 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 127 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 107 |
| 3 | Wipers | 86 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 74 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 71 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 68 |
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 | 29.0% | 539 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.0% | 483 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.5% | 456 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.2% | 413 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.3% | 359 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.1% | 243 |
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 | 41 | 19.5% |
| 30-60k | 285 | 17.2% |
| 60-90k | 695 | 26.6% |
| 90-120k | 516 | 28.9% |
| 120-150k | 218 | 28.9% |
| 150k+ | 103 | 31.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,356 | 26.1% |
| Diesel | 502 | 26.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 516 | 26.2% |
| 2022 | 441 | 25.9% |
| 2023 | 354 | 25.4% |
| 2024 | 306 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 241 | 28.6% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Cruze
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.8% 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.
- Brakes (10.1% 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 2009 Chevrolet Cruzes pass their MOT?
73.8% of the 1,858 2009 Chevrolet Cruze MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Chevrolet Cruze?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.1% of tests, followed by suspension (12.8%).
Does the 2009 Cruze get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 19.5% in the 0-30k band to 31.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,858 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.