2003 Isuzu Trooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Isuzu Trooper passed 72.5% of its 1,894 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.2 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 25.4%. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (14.8%) and lighting & signalling (13.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, rigid brake pipes and position lamp — joints alone was recorded 157 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 30.1% versus 17.1%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 36.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.7% in 2021 to 24.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.8% | 280 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 251 |
| 3 | Brakes | 13.1% | 248 |
| 4 | Suspension | 12.2% | 231 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.7% | 107 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.2% | 98 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 157 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 133 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 122 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 108 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 92 |
| 6 | Exhaust system | 90 |
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 | 36.0% | 682 |
| 2 | Brakes | 35.7% | 676 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 28.5% | 540 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 26.4% | 499 |
| 5 | Tyres | 13.8% | 262 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.3% | 215 |
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 | 76 | 17.1% |
| 60-90k | 284 | 22.2% |
| 90-120k | 494 | 28.7% |
| 120-150k | 506 | 28.3% |
| 150k+ | 524 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 544 | 28.7% |
| 2022 | 442 | 26.0% |
| 2023 | 361 | 26.3% |
| 2024 | 301 | 31.6% |
| 2025 | 246 | 24.4% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Trooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: body, structure & corrosion accounted for 14.8% of tests. Start there.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.8% 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+.
- Lighting & signalling (13.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (13.1% 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.
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 2003 Isuzu Troopers pass their MOT?
72.5% of the 1,894 2003 Isuzu Trooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Isuzu Trooper?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 14.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.3%).
Does the 2003 Trooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.1% in the 30-60k band to 30.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,894 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.