1999 Mitsubishi Challenger — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1999 Mitsubishi Challenger passed 71.5% of its 631 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (26.3% fail rate), the 1999 Challenger comes out 2.3pp worse. Failures cluster in body, structure & corrosion, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — body, structure & corrosion (15.2%) and brakes (12.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rigid brake pipes, component mounting prescribed areas and prescribed areas — rigid brake pipes alone was recorded 52 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.3% of 60-90k cars fail, rising to 32.5% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 46.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.8% in 2021 to 20.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.2% | 96 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 79 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 11.7% | 74 |
| 4 | Suspension | 11.4% | 72 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 34 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.1% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rigid brake pipes | 52 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 47 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 43 |
| 4 | Chassis condition | 42 |
| 5 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 39 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 39 |
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 | 46.1% | 291 |
| 2 | Brakes | 38.7% | 244 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 32.3% | 204 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 31.9% | 201 |
| 5 | Tyres | 17.0% | 107 |
| 6 | Other defects | 14.1% | 89 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 72 | 15.3% |
| 90-120k | 133 | 25.6% |
| 120-150k | 203 | 32.0% |
| 150k+ | 200 | 32.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 445 | 27.4% |
| Petrol | 186 | 31.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 192 | 32.8% |
| 2022 | 153 | 28.8% |
| 2023 | 117 | 26.5% |
| 2024 | 96 | 28.1% |
| 2025 | 73 | 20.5% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Challenger
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: body, structure & corrosion accounted for 15.2% of tests. Start there.
- Body, structure & corrosion (15.2% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Brakes (12.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 1999 Mitsubishi Challengers pass their MOT?
71.5% of the 631 1999 Mitsubishi Challenger MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 28.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Mitsubishi Challenger?
Body, structure & corrosion, recorded in 15.2% of tests, followed by brakes (12.5%).
Does the 1999 Challenger get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.3% in the 60-90k band to 32.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 631 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.