2009 Daihatsu Sirion — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 5,722 MOT tests, the 2009 Daihatsu Sirion recorded a 79.3% pass rate. That is 5.1 percentage points better than city cars of a similar age, which fail at 25.7%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (11.2%) and lighting & signalling (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, wipers and headlamp aim — ball joint alone was recorded 448 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 37.1% once past 150k — 4.0× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.2% | 641 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 532 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.1% | 349 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.0% | 286 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.9% | 221 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.3% | 188 |
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 | 448 |
| 2 | Wipers | 268 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 211 |
| 4 | Linkage ball joints | 184 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 180 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 178 |
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 | 33.1% | 1,893 |
| 2 | Brakes | 27.4% | 1,566 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.8% | 1,359 |
| 4 | Other defects | 13.7% | 781 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.2% | 642 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.5% | 603 |
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 | 580 | 9.3% |
| 30-60k | 1,990 | 16.2% |
| 60-90k | 1,910 | 22.9% |
| 90-120k | 908 | 28.5% |
| 120-150k | 272 | 32.0% |
| 150k+ | 62 | 37.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,211 | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 1,189 | 19.1% |
| 2023 | 1,152 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 1,123 | 22.9% |
| 2025 | 1,047 | 24.1% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Sirion
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.2% 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 (9.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.1% 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 Daihatsu Sirions pass their MOT?
79.3% of the 5,722 2009 Daihatsu Sirion MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Daihatsu Sirion?
Suspension, recorded in 11.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.3%).
Does the 2009 Sirion get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.3% in the 0-30k band to 37.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,722 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.