Mitsubishi Carisma MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 27 model years and 6,952 tests, the Mitsubishi Carisma passes its MOT 68.8% of the time. That is 3.9 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.3%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (16.9%) and suspension (15.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rigid brake pipes and headlamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 562 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 36.6% versus 16.7%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.2pp more often than petrol ones (33.3% vs 30.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 43.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.0% in 2021 to 28.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Carisma model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 151 | 72.9% | 27.2% | Suspension |
| 1997 | 288 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 295 | 67.1% | 32.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1999 | 260 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 378 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 312 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 762 | 67.5% | 32.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 2,528 | 68.4% | 31.6% | Suspension |
| 2004 | 1,866 | 67.5% | 32.5% | Suspension |
| 2005 | 100 | 63.0% | 37.0% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 16.9% | 1,172 |
| 2 | Suspension | 15.7% | 1,090 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.5% | 1,010 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.5% | 520 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.0% | 420 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 389 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 383 |
| 8 | Tyres | 5.4% | 373 |
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 | 562 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 530 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 455 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 373 |
| 5 | Joints | 333 |
| 6 | Catalyst emissions | 326 |
| 7 | Wipers | 326 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 310 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 43.4% | 3,014 |
| 2 | Suspension | 37.9% | 2,637 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.9% | 2,077 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 21.3% | 1,484 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 21.2% | 1,476 |
| 6 | Other defects | 17.0% | 1,184 |
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 | 102 | 16.7% |
| 30-60k | 854 | 23.1% |
| 60-90k | 1,790 | 30.1% |
| 90-120k | 1,946 | 32.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,259 | 33.4% |
| 150k+ | 989 | 36.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,417 | 30.1% |
| Diesel | 2,535 | 33.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,246 | 31.0% |
| 2022 | 1,708 | 32.0% |
| 2023 | 1,300 | 31.8% |
| 2024 | 990 | 31.5% |
| 2025 | 708 | 28.7% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Carisma
- Lighting & signalling (16.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (15.7% 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 (14.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mitsubishi Carisma?
68.8% of the 6,952 Mitsubishi Carisma MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 31.2% fail rate, across model years 1995–2021.
What does the Mitsubishi Carisma most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 16.9% of tests, then suspension (15.7%).
How much does mileage affect Carisma MOT results?
Fail rates run at 16.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 36.6% for 150k+, a 19.9-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel Carisma more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 30.1% of the time against 33.3% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,952 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.