Lexus Gs300 MOT pass rate & common failures
17,244 MOT tests on the Lexus Gs300 (1993–2021) give it an 81.3% pass rate. That is 8.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.9%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst Gs300 years
Ranked across Gs300 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 85.3% of 2008 examples pass against 80.5% of 2006 ones.
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.7%) and brakes (9.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 956 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.1% in the 0-30k band and 22.4% in the 150k+ band, a 11.3-point spread — more than double.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 26.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every Gs300 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 82 | 87.8% | 12.2% | Brakes |
| 1995 | 94 | 75.5% | 24.5% | Brakes |
| 1996 | 301 | 82.4% | 17.6% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 456 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 959 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 764 | 79.7% | 20.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 670 | 78.7% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 859 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 923 | 80.1% | 19.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 884 | 80.9% | 19.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 489 | 80.6% | 19.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 4,540 | 80.8% | 19.2% | Brakes |
| 2006 | 2,755 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 1,755 | 83.1% | 16.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 1,009 | 85.3% | 14.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 594 | 84.2% | 15.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.7% | 1,845 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.0% | 1,559 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.4% | 1,100 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.9% | 847 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.5% | 773 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.1% | 541 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 467 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.7% | 116 |
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 | 956 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 700 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 629 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 507 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 502 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 481 |
| 7 | Tread depth | 450 |
| 8 | Shock absorbers | 446 |
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 | 26.8% | 4,623 |
| 2 | Brakes | 23.9% | 4,130 |
| 3 | Tyres | 23.9% | 4,126 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.7% | 2,018 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.8% | 1,869 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 9.6% | 1,659 |
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 | 181 | 11.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,212 | 10.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,799 | 15.0% |
| 90-120k | 5,036 | 19.5% |
| 120-150k | 4,038 | 21.3% |
| 150k+ | 2,953 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 17,158 | 18.8% |
| Hybrid | 54 | 1.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,218 | 18.3% |
| 2022 | 3,822 | 18.5% |
| 2023 | 3,473 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 3,049 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 2,682 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Gs300
- Lighting & signalling (10.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.0% 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.
- Suspension (6.4% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Lexus Gs300?
81.3% of the 17,244 Lexus Gs300 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.7% fail rate, across model years 1993–2021.
What does the Lexus Gs300 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.7% of tests, then brakes (9.0%).
Which Gs300 years are best and worst for MOT results?
2008 has the best pass rate at 85.3% and 2006 the weakest at 80.5%, from 1,009 and 2,755 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Gs300 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.4% for 150k+, a 11.3-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 17,244 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.