2003 Mitsubishi Carisma — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2003 Mitsubishi Carisma passed 68.4% of its 2,528 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.7% fail rate), the 2003 Carisma comes out 3.9pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.9%) and lighting & signalling (16.7%) 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 rigid brake pipes — headlamp aim alone was recorded 191 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 20.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 38.2% once past 150k.
The petrol cars hold up better: 30.3% fail against 32.8% for diesel, a 2.5-point gap across 2,528 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 46.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.8% in 2021 to 29.0% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.9% | 426 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 16.7% | 422 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.5% | 392 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 198 |
| 5 | Steering | 7.2% | 182 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.8% | 146 |
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 | 191 |
| 2 | Headlamp | 189 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 162 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 161 |
| 5 | Joints | 147 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 134 |
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 | 46.6% | 1,177 |
| 2 | Suspension | 40.2% | 1,016 |
| 3 | Tyres | 31.3% | 791 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 24.6% | 621 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 23.4% | 592 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 18.0% | 455 |
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 | 280 | 20.7% |
| 60-90k | 626 | 31.1% |
| 90-120k | 675 | 32.3% |
| 120-150k | 499 | 32.3% |
| 150k+ | 427 | 38.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,323 | 32.8% |
| Petrol | 1,205 | 30.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 784 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | 617 | 29.8% |
| 2023 | 490 | 33.7% |
| 2024 | 375 | 33.3% |
| 2025 | 262 | 29.0% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Carisma
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.9% 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 (16.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (15.5% 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
How many 2003 Mitsubishi Carismas pass their MOT?
68.4% of the 2,528 2003 Mitsubishi Carisma MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Mitsubishi Carisma?
Suspension, recorded in 16.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (16.7%).
Does the 2003 Carisma get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.7% in the 30-60k band to 38.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,528 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.