2009 Daihatsu Terios — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Daihatsu Terios passed 80.4% of its 3,411 recorded MOT tests. Against small SUVs of a similar age (25.8% fail rate), the 2009 Terios comes out 6.1pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (9.5%) and lighting & signalling (9.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, stop lamp and wipers — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 163 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.6% once past 150k — 7.2× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 9.5% | 324 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 314 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.1% | 276 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.2% | 144 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.5% | 120 |
| 6 | Tyres | 2.6% | 90 |
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 | 163 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 140 |
| 3 | Wipers | 136 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 120 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 120 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 93 |
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 | 36.8% | 1,256 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.3% | 863 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.4% | 697 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.4% | 527 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.0% | 409 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 272 |
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 | 151 | 4.0% |
| 30-60k | 755 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,204 | 19.1% |
| 90-120k | 787 | 24.1% |
| 120-150k | 361 | 29.6% |
| 150k+ | 147 | 28.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 717 | 17.3% |
| 2022 | 695 | 16.8% |
| 2023 | 698 | 20.5% |
| 2024 | 671 | 21.3% |
| 2025 | 630 | 22.7% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Terios
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 9.5% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (9.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.1% 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.
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 Terioss pass their MOT?
80.4% of the 3,411 2009 Daihatsu Terios MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Daihatsu Terios?
Brakes, recorded in 9.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.2%).
Does the 2009 Terios get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.0% in the 0-30k band to 28.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,411 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.