Mitsubishi Galant MOT pass rate & common failures
1,922 MOT tests on the Mitsubishi Galant (1982–2020) give it a 73.0% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (25.9% fail rate), the Galant comes out 1.1pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.6%) and lighting & signalling (12.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 222 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 22.6% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.0% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 37.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 26.0% in 2021 to 22.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Galant model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 36 | 86.1% | 13.9% | Brakes |
| 1990 | 45 | 80.0% | 20.0% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 80 | 72.5% | 27.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 199 | 69.3% | 30.6% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 170 | 72.9% | 27.1% | Suspension |
| 2000 | 261 | 75.9% | 24.1% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 386 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 389 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Suspension |
| 2003 | 97 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.6% | 280 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 244 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.8% | 207 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 147 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 117 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.2% | 80 |
| 7 | Steering | 4.2% | 80 |
| 8 | Visibility | 3.8% | 72 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 222 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 125 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 114 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 105 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 97 |
| 6 | Ball joint | 78 |
| 7 | Rigid brake pipes | 68 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 63 |
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 | 37.4% | 719 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.8% | 612 |
| 3 | Tyres | 20.3% | 390 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 383 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.7% | 378 |
| 6 | Other defects | 18.8% | 361 |
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 | 31 | 22.6% |
| 30-60k | 180 | 22.8% |
| 60-90k | 427 | 23.4% |
| 90-120k | 647 | 26.9% |
| 120-150k | 393 | 31.6% |
| 150k+ | 237 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 523 | 26.0% |
| 2022 | 439 | 28.2% |
| 2023 | 390 | 32.3% |
| 2024 | 308 | 24.3% |
| 2025 | 262 | 22.1% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi Galant
- Suspension (14.6% 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 (12.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.8% 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 Galant?
73.0% of the 1,922 Mitsubishi Galant MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 27.0% fail rate, across model years 1982–2020.
What does the Mitsubishi Galant most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 14.6% of tests, then lighting & signalling (12.7%).
How much does mileage affect Galant MOT results?
Fail rates run at 22.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.0% for 150k+, a 7.4-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,922 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.