2005 Isuzu Trooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Isuzu Trooper passed 72.8% of its 1,193 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 24.9%. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (14.6%) and lighting & signalling (13.8%) 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 93 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 26.6% versus 20.0%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 27.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.6% | 174 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 165 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.5% | 149 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.1% | 132 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.8% | 69 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.5% | 66 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 93 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 88 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 79 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 68 |
| 5 | Exhaust system | 66 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 44 |
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 | 39.7% | 474 |
| 2 | Brakes | 39.6% | 473 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 25.3% | 302 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 22.6% | 269 |
| 5 | Tyres | 20.5% | 245 |
| 6 | Steering | 12.7% | 152 |
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 | 35 | 20.0% |
| 60-90k | 143 | 24.5% |
| 90-120k | 302 | 31.1% |
| 120-150k | 294 | 26.2% |
| 150k+ | 399 | 26.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 334 | 27.0% |
| 2022 | 267 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 242 | 28.1% |
| 2024 | 193 | 27.5% |
| 2025 | 157 | 29.3% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Trooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: body, structure & corrosion accounted for 14.6% of tests. Start there.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.6% 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 (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (12.5% 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 Isuzu Troopers pass their MOT?
72.8% of the 1,193 2005 Isuzu Trooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Isuzu Trooper?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 14.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.8%).
Does the 2005 Trooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.0% in the 30-60k band to 26.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,193 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.