2005 Daihatsu Charade — MOT failures & pass rate
1,950 MOT tests on the 2005 Daihatsu Charade are in this dataset, and 72.9% of them passed. That is 2.3 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 29.3%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 16.8% of tests against 10.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, ball joint and wipers — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 180 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 37.7% once past 120-150k — 2.8× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.8% | 327 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 197 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 165 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 139 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.6% | 128 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.7% | 112 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 180 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 158 |
| 3 | Wipers | 109 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 96 |
| 5 | Ball joint dust cover | 84 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 76 |
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 | 37.1% | 724 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.4% | 495 |
| 3 | Brakes | 24.5% | 478 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.0% | 331 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 248 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.8% | 211 |
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 | 234 | 13.7% |
| 30-60k | 774 | 24.6% |
| 60-90k | 657 | 31.5% |
| 90-120k | 220 | 33.6% |
| 120-150k | 53 | 37.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 496 | 26.6% |
| 2022 | 453 | 27.6% |
| 2023 | 392 | 27.6% |
| 2024 | 330 | 27.9% |
| 2025 | 279 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Charade
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (10.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.5% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 2005 Daihatsu Charades pass their MOT?
72.9% of the 1,950 2005 Daihatsu Charade MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Daihatsu Charade?
Suspension, recorded in 16.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.1%).
Does the 2005 Charade get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.7% in the 0-30k band to 37.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,950 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.