2002 Hyundai Santa-Fe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2002 Hyundai Santa-Fe passed 71.5% of its 1,358 recorded MOT tests. That is 3.2 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 25.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 16.8% of all tests — 3.1 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and joints — headlamp aim alone was recorded 143 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 21.5% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 31.5% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 28.3% of the time against 28.6% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 44.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.5% in 2021 to 24.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.8% | 228 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.7% | 186 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.2% | 152 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.8% | 120 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.0% | 81 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 76 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 143 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 100 |
| 3 | Joints | 82 |
| 4 | Stop lamp | 74 |
| 5 | Rigid brake pipes | 68 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 66 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 44.5% | 604 |
| 2 | Suspension | 34.3% | 466 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 26.1% | 354 |
| 4 | Tyres | 25.6% | 348 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 24.1% | 328 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 20.3% | 276 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 79 | 21.5% |
| 60-90k | 279 | 25.1% |
| 90-120k | 406 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 338 | 31.4% |
| 150k+ | 251 | 31.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 775 | 28.6% |
| Diesel | 583 | 28.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 474 | 28.5% |
| 2022 | 333 | 27.9% |
| 2023 | 245 | 30.6% |
| 2024 | 185 | 29.2% |
| 2025 | 121 | 24.8% |
What to check before buying a 2002 Santa-Fe
On a 2002 Santa-Fe, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (16.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.7% 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.
- Brakes (11.2% 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
How many 2002 Hyundai Santa-Fes pass their MOT?
71.5% of the 1,358 2002 Hyundai Santa-Fe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2002 Hyundai Santa-Fe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.8% of tests, followed by suspension (13.7%).
Does the 2002 Santa-Fe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 21.5% in the 30-60k band to 31.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,358 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.