2009 London Taxis Int Tx4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 London Taxis Int Tx4 passed 75.4% of its 5,800 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail at 24.9%, so the 2009 Tx4 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.5%) and lighting & signalling (13.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, ball joint and track rod end — pins and bushes alone was recorded 454 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2009 Tx4 fails 27.5% of the time in the 0-30k band and 24.6% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 20.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.5% | 780 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.0% | 752 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.6% | 614 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.8% | 393 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.2% | 357 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.3% | 310 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 454 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 352 |
| 3 | Track rod end | 344 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 321 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 320 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 280 |
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 | 20.3% | 1,176 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 1,119 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 17.0% | 985 |
| 4 | Tyres | 11.1% | 641 |
| 5 | Steering | 10.2% | 591 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 492 |
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 | 80 | 27.5% |
| 30-60k | 38 | 15.8% |
| 60-90k | 70 | 27.1% |
| 90-120k | 116 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 221 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 4,990 | 24.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,540 | 24.6% |
| Petrol | 181 | 23.2% |
| Gas/LPG | 79 | 31.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,001 | 22.5% |
| 2022 | 1,480 | 24.1% |
| 2023 | 1,016 | 27.3% |
| 2024 | 766 | 28.8% |
| 2025 | 537 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Tx4
On a 2009 Tx4, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (13.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (13.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.6% 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 2009 London Taxis Int Tx4s pass their MOT?
75.4% of the 5,800 2009 London Taxis Int Tx4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 London Taxis Int Tx4?
Suspension, recorded in 13.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.0%).
Does the 2009 Tx4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 27.5% in the 0-30k band to 24.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,800 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.