Daihatsu Hijet MOT pass rate & common failures
The Daihatsu Hijet appears in 6,016 MOT tests spanning model years 1986–2025, and 69.0% of them passed. That is 4.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 22.1% of all tests — 6.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — service brake performance alone was recorded 722 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 34.1% versus 24.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 28.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.7% in 2021 to 26.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Hijet model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 123 | 65.8% | 34.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 198 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 309 | 71.5% | 28.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1997 | 595 | 68.7% | 31.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 590 | 64.9% | 35.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 905 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 672 | 65.2% | 34.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 602 | 69.3% | 30.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 788 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 584 | 69.9% | 30.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 205 | 67.8% | 32.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 120 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 32 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 22.1% | 1,332 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.7% | 947 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 10.9% | 659 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.8% | 532 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 517 |
| 6 | Suspension | 7.5% | 449 |
| 7 | Tyres | 3.2% | 190 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.6% | 93 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 722 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 643 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 642 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 550 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 471 |
| 6 | Service brake imbalance | 375 |
| 7 | Rear fog lamp | 355 |
| 8 | Wipers | 351 |
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 | 28.7% | 1,724 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.8% | 1,674 |
| 3 | Tyres | 18.4% | 1,108 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.3% | 1,098 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 16.7% | 1,005 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.2% | 794 |
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 | 614 | 24.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,257 | 29.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,125 | 33.3% |
| 90-120k | 848 | 34.4% |
| 120-150k | 138 | 34.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,803 | 31.1% |
| Diesel | 213 | 30.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,506 | 33.7% |
| 2022 | 1,368 | 32.8% |
| 2023 | 1,157 | 31.1% |
| 2024 | 1,048 | 29.0% |
| 2025 | 937 | 26.6% |
What to check before buying a Daihatsu Hijet
- Lighting & signalling (22.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (15.7% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (10.9% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Daihatsu Hijet?
69.0% of the 6,016 Daihatsu Hijet MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.1% fail rate, across model years 1986–2025.
What does the Daihatsu Hijet most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 22.1% of tests, then brakes (15.7%).
How much does mileage affect Hijet MOT results?
Fail rates run at 24.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 34.1% for 120-150k, a 9.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,016 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.