Lexus Is 250 MOT pass rate & common failures
1,717 MOT tests on the Lexus Is 250 (2005–2014) give it an 81.8% pass rate. That is 8.7 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 tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.9% of all tests — 5.9 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, headlamp and position lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 139 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.5% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 22.0% once past 150k — 2.9× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.1% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
By model year
Every Is 250 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 286 | 82.2% | 17.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 480 | 78.8% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 565 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 284 | 83.8% | 16.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 57 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 238 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.0% | 137 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.7% | 98 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.2% | 89 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 57 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.3% | 40 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 30 |
| 8 | Road wheels | 1.0% | 17 |
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 | 139 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 106 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 106 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 65 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 62 |
| 6 | Wipers | 53 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 52 |
| 8 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 42 |
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 | 27.1% | 466 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.7% | 373 |
| 3 | Suspension | 13.6% | 233 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.5% | 197 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 197 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 148 |
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 | 107 | 7.5% |
| 60-90k | 368 | 14.9% |
| 90-120k | 574 | 17.3% |
| 120-150k | 456 | 22.6% |
| 150k+ | 200 | 22.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 381 | 17.6% |
| 2022 | 361 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 363 | 20.7% |
| 2024 | 332 | 19.3% |
| 2025 | 280 | 16.8% |
What to check before buying a Lexus Is 250
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.0% 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.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
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 Is 250?
81.8% of the 1,717 Lexus Is 250 MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.2% fail rate, across model years 2005–2014.
What does the Lexus Is 250 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests, then brakes (8.0%).
How much does mileage affect Is 250 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.5% for cars in the 30-60k band and 22.0% for 150k+, a 14.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,717 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.