Mitsubishi Eclipse MOT pass rate & common failures
47,952 MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Eclipse (1994–2022) give it a 91.3% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (10.8% fail rate), the Eclipse comes out 2.0pp better. Its most common failure areas are visibility, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — visibility (3.6%) and tyres (3.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 1,891 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 19.5% versus 6.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 5.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Eclipse model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 33 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2017 | 575 | 90.1% | 9.9% | Tyres |
| 2018 | 30,142 | 91.3% | 8.7% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 15,884 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Visibility |
| 2020 | 1,181 | 91.1% | 8.9% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 40 | 90.0% | 10.0% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visibility | 3.6% | 1,714 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.5% | 1,696 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.2% | 1,518 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 957 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.9% | 443 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.4% | 167 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.3% | 125 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.1% | 73 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 1,891 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,584 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 932 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 882 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 366 |
| 6 | Pins and bushes | 232 |
| 7 | Brake discs | 188 |
| 8 | Washers | 184 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.3% | 11,670 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.3% | 9,231 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.7% | 3,189 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 1,747 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 1,594 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.4% | 197 |
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 | 20,473 | 6.0% |
| 30-60k | 22,457 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 4,351 | 13.2% |
| 90-120k | 530 | 17.5% |
| 120-150k | 100 | 26.0% |
| 150k+ | 41 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,212 | 5.9% |
| 2022 | 10,213 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 10,463 | 8.6% |
| 2024 | 10,469 | 10.0% |
| 2025 | 10,595 | 10.4% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Eclipse
- Visibility (3.6% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (3.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Brakes (3.2% 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 Eclipse?
91.3% of the 47,952 Mitsubishi Eclipse MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 8.7% fail rate, across model years 1994–2022.
What does the Mitsubishi Eclipse most often fail its MOT on?
Visibility, recorded in 3.6% of tests, then tyres (3.5%).
How much does mileage affect Eclipse MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 19.5% for 150k+, a 13.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 47,952 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.