2015 Hyundai i40 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Hyundai i40 passed 82.9% of its 21,747 recorded MOT tests. Large family cars of a similar age fail at 16.9%, so the 2015 i40 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.1%) and tyres (6.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp — brake pads alone was recorded 957 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.3% versus 11.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 15.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 18.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.1% | 1,536 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.6% | 1,443 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 1,212 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.7% | 584 |
| 5 | Steering | 2.5% | 535 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.2% | 487 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 957 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 648 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 621 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 594 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 501 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 494 |
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 | 27.4% | 5,960 |
| 2 | Brakes | 26.0% | 5,657 |
| 3 | Other defects | 10.0% | 2,170 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.0% | 1,534 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 754 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 722 |
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 | 416 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,750 | 14.0% |
| 60-90k | 7,860 | 16.8% |
| 90-120k | 4,900 | 18.5% |
| 120-150k | 2,241 | 19.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,579 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,535 | 15.4% |
| 2022 | 4,463 | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 4,414 | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 4,296 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 4,039 | 18.6% |
What to check before buying a 2015 i40
On a 2015 i40, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (7.1% 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.
- Tyres (6.6% 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 (5.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2015 Hyundai i40s pass their MOT?
82.9% of the 21,747 2015 Hyundai i40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Hyundai i40?
Brakes, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by tyres (6.6%).
Does the 2015 i40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.3% in the 0-30k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 21,747 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.