2016 DS Ds5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 DS Ds5 passed 82.7% of its 3,388 recorded MOT tests. Against large family cars of a similar age (15.3% fail rate), the 2016 Ds5 comes out 2.0pp worse. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (6.0%) and lighting & signalling (5.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, tread depth and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 199 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 9.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.3% once past 120-150k — 2.4× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.0% | 205 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 196 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.6% | 190 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.0% | 102 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 88 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.6% | 87 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 199 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 134 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 133 |
| 4 | Wipers | 70 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 62 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 59 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.5% | 896 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.2% | 581 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.1% | 206 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.6% | 189 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.7% | 160 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 112 |
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 | 318 | 9.8% |
| 30-60k | 1,517 | 15.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,142 | 19.0% |
| 90-120k | 341 | 24.6% |
| 120-150k | 60 | 23.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,310 | 17.2% |
| Petrol | 78 | 21.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 667 | 14.4% |
| 2022 | 687 | 15.0% |
| 2023 | 684 | 17.3% |
| 2024 | 687 | 18.6% |
| 2025 | 663 | 21.3% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Ds5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.0% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (5.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (5.6% 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 2016 DS Ds5s pass their MOT?
82.7% of the 3,388 2016 DS Ds5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 DS Ds5?
Tyres, recorded in 6.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.8%).
Does the 2016 Ds5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.8% in the 0-30k band to 23.3% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,388 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.