Ferrari F355 MOT pass rate & common failures
The Ferrari F355 appears in 3,716 MOT tests spanning model years 1990–2021, and 93.9% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 24.8% of the time, so this is 18.7pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are emissions & environmental, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (3.2%) and lighting & signalling (2.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and steering rack — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 186 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the F355 fails 5.1% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.4% at 60-90k, a spread of only 0.3 points.
How it compares
By model year
Every F355 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 99 | 98.0% | 2.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 517 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1996 | 688 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1997 | 945 | 95.0% | 5.0% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1998 | 856 | 91.6% | 8.4% | Emissions & environmental |
| 1999 | 472 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2015 | 34 | 88.2% | 11.8% | Other defects |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 3.2% | 120 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 96 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.2% | 44 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 34 |
| 5 | Steering | 0.9% | 34 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.7% | 25 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 17 |
| 8 | Tyres | 0.4% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 186 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 55 |
| 3 | Steering rack | 36 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 28 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 26 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 20 |
| 7 | Wipers | 19 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 18 |
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 | 4.2% | 155 |
| 2 | Suspension | 2.4% | 90 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.9% | 70 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 67 |
| 5 | Steering | 1.0% | 36 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.9% | 33 |
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 | 1,515 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,917 | 6.8% |
| 60-90k | 259 | 5.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 788 | 6.7% |
| 2022 | 754 | 6.1% |
| 2023 | 739 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 719 | 5.8% |
| 2025 | 716 | 6.6% |
What to check before buying a Ferrari F355
- Emissions & environmental (3.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (1.2% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Ferrari F355?
93.9% of the 3,716 Ferrari F355 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 6.1% fail rate, across model years 1990–2021.
What does the Ferrari F355 most often fail its MOT on?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 3.2% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.6%).
How much does mileage affect F355 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 5.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 5.4% for 60-90k, a 0.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,716 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.