2011 Lexus Ct — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Lexus Ct passed 86.7% of its 20,309 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (22.9% fail rate), the 2011 Ct comes out 9.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests against 5.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, registration plate lamp(s) and wipers — headlamp alone was recorded 724 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 15.6% once past 150k — 3.5× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 12.2% fail against 14.5% for electric, a 2.3-point gap across 5,976 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 1,665 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.0% | 1,005 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.1% | 836 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.6% | 723 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.9% | 598 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 170 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 724 |
| 2 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 647 |
| 3 | Wipers | 506 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 482 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 379 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 374 |
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 | 24.6% | 4,990 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.5% | 3,967 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.7% | 2,777 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.7% | 2,581 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 1,477 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.7% | 751 |
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 | 359 | 4.5% |
| 30-60k | 3,072 | 9.6% |
| 60-90k | 5,961 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 5,375 | 15.0% |
| 120-150k | 3,201 | 15.0% |
| 150k+ | 2,339 | 15.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 10,253 | 13.2% |
| Other | 4,012 | 13.5% |
| Electric | 3,110 | 14.5% |
| Petrol | 2,866 | 12.2% |
| Gas/LPG | 48 | 14.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,026 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 4,025 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 4,056 | 12.9% |
| 2024 | 4,125 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 4,077 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Ct
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Brakes (4.1% 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 2011 Lexus Cts pass their MOT?
86.7% of the 20,309 2011 Lexus Ct MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Lexus Ct?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.0%).
Does the 2011 Ct get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.5% in the 0-30k band to 15.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,309 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.