2003 Daihatsu Hijet — MOT failures & pass rate
584 MOT tests on the 2003 Daihatsu Hijet are in this dataset, and 69.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 27.6% of the time, so this is 2.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.5% of tests against 14.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake performance and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 70 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 26.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.9% once past 90-120k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 27.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 33.8% in 2021 to 24.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 23.5% | 137 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 85 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 8.2% | 48 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.2% | 48 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.1% | 47 |
| 6 | Suspension | 5.3% | 31 |
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 | 70 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 66 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 54 |
| 4 | Rear fog lamp | 36 |
| 5 | Washers | 33 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 31 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 27.1% | 158 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.9% | 151 |
| 3 | Tyres | 19.5% | 114 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 18.7% | 109 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.4% | 96 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.7% | 80 |
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 | 68 | 26.5% |
| 30-60k | 232 | 28.0% |
| 60-90k | 193 | 33.7% |
| 90-120k | 73 | 32.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 151 | 33.8% |
| 2022 | 130 | 30.0% |
| 2023 | 115 | 31.3% |
| 2024 | 95 | 28.4% |
| 2025 | 93 | 24.7% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Hijet
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 23.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (23.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (14.5% 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 (8.2% 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
How many 2003 Daihatsu Hijets pass their MOT?
69.9% of the 584 2003 Daihatsu Hijet MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Daihatsu Hijet?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 23.5% of tests, followed by brakes (14.5%).
Does the 2003 Hijet get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 26.5% in the 0-30k band to 32.9% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 584 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.