2005 Hyundai Trajet — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Hyundai Trajet passed 67.6% of its 1,162 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.5% of the time, so this is 4.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (20.0%) and lighting & signalling (18.5%) 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, headlamp and stop lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 135 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 23.2% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 39.3% once past 150k.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.4pp more often than petrol ones (33.6% vs 31.2%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 38.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 34.2% in 2021 to 30.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 20.0% | 232 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 18.5% | 215 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.6% | 135 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.2% | 95 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.7% | 89 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.0% | 70 |
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 | 135 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 72 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 66 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 66 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 66 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
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 | 38.7% | 450 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.8% | 404 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.1% | 315 |
| 4 | Other defects | 18.3% | 213 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 15.0% | 174 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.7% | 171 |
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 | 56 | 23.2% |
| 60-90k | 290 | 29.3% |
| 90-120k | 442 | 32.8% |
| 120-150k | 202 | 33.2% |
| 150k+ | 168 | 39.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 609 | 31.2% |
| Diesel | 553 | 33.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 403 | 34.2% |
| 2022 | 289 | 28.7% |
| 2023 | 220 | 32.7% |
| 2024 | 151 | 35.1% |
| 2025 | 99 | 30.3% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Trajet
On a 2005 Trajet, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 20.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (20.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (18.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.6% 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 2005 Hyundai Trajets pass their MOT?
67.6% of the 1,162 2005 Hyundai Trajet MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Hyundai Trajet?
Suspension, recorded in 20.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (18.5%).
Does the 2005 Trajet get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.2% in the 30-60k band to 39.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,162 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.