2013 London Taxis Int Tx4 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 6,686 MOT tests, the 2013 London Taxis Int Tx4 recorded an 82.4% pass rate. That is 2.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 19.8%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.1%) and suspension (13.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and ball joint — pins and bushes alone was recorded 574 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2013 Tx4 fails 18.9% of the time in the 30-60k band and 18.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.7 points.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 22.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.5% in 2021 to 18.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.1% | 1,073 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.3% | 890 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.7% | 649 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 443 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.3% | 351 |
| 6 | Tyres | 3.7% | 246 |
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 | 574 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 354 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 341 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 340 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 286 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 286 |
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 | 22.6% | 1,511 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 14.7% | 980 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.7% | 850 |
| 4 | Tyres | 12.3% | 826 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 486 |
| 6 | Steering | 6.5% | 432 |
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 | 37 | 18.9% |
| 60-90k | 61 | 9.8% |
| 90-120k | 190 | 11.1% |
| 120-150k | 608 | 14.1% |
| 150k+ | 5,756 | 18.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 6,580 | 17.4% |
| Petrol | 92 | 29.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,452 | 20.5% |
| 2022 | 1,478 | 17.9% |
| 2023 | 1,516 | 16.8% |
| 2024 | 1,486 | 15.0% |
| 2025 | 754 | 18.2% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Tx4
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 16.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (16.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.3% 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.
- Brakes (9.7% 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 2013 London Taxis Int Tx4s pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 6,686 2013 London Taxis Int Tx4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 London Taxis Int Tx4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.1% of tests, followed by suspension (13.3%).
Does the 2013 Tx4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.9% in the 30-60k band to 18.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,686 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.