Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 29 model years and 76,790 tests, the Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab passes its MOT 71.4% of the time. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail at 28.6%, so the L200 Double Cab sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and body, structure & corrosion.
Best and worst L200 Double Cab years
Ranked across L200 Double Cab years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Build year matters more than the headline suggests: 2011 cars pass 75.2% of the time while 2002 cars manage 70.0%, a 5.2-point spread.
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.8% of tests against 14.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, rigid brake pipes and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 7,566 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.0% versus 15.5%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
By model year
Every L200 Double Cab model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 86 | 66.3% | 33.7% | Suspension |
| 1999 | 297 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2000 | 858 | 70.8% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 2,432 | 70.2% | 29.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 5,428 | 70.0% | 30.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 11,692 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 14,989 | 70.9% | 29.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 18,382 | 71.6% | 28.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 7,437 | 70.7% | 29.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 3,877 | 70.8% | 29.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 2,239 | 70.6% | 29.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 2,342 | 71.4% | 28.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2010 | 3,554 | 73.3% | 26.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 1,855 | 75.2% | 24.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 250 | 76.0% | 24.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 126 | 81.8% | 18.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2014 | 144 | 77.8% | 22.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2015 | 86 | 76.7% | 23.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 217 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 284 | 88.7% | 11.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2018 | 114 | 86.8% | 13.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2019 | 54 | 81.5% | 18.5% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 20.8% | 15,995 |
| 2 | Suspension | 14.5% | 11,171 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 12.4% | 9,490 |
| 4 | Brakes | 11.1% | 8,488 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.2% | 4,739 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.3% | 4,093 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 5.0% | 3,840 |
| 8 | Tyres | 2.9% | 2,258 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 7,566 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 6,921 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 4,401 |
| 4 | Joints | 4,384 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 4,031 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 3,837 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 3,834 |
| 8 | Ball joint | 3,633 |
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 | 39.7% | 30,476 |
| 2 | Brakes | 39.3% | 30,200 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 27.8% | 21,330 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 27.2% | 20,886 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 19.5% | 15,004 |
| 6 | Tyres | 18.6% | 14,255 |
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 | 361 | 15.5% |
| 30-60k | 2,668 | 19.7% |
| 60-90k | 10,786 | 25.8% |
| 90-120k | 21,909 | 28.4% |
| 120-150k | 22,538 | 30.3% |
| 150k+ | 18,446 | 30.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 76,437 | 28.7% |
| Petrol | 353 | 25.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 21,846 | 28.9% |
| 2022 | 18,681 | 28.7% |
| 2023 | 14,890 | 28.4% |
| 2024 | 11,876 | 28.5% |
| 2025 | 9,497 | 28.4% |
What to check before buying a Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab
- Lighting & signalling (20.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (14.5% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (12.4% 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+.
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 L200 Double Cab?
71.4% of the 76,790 Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 28.6% fail rate, across model years 1993–2021.
What does the Mitsubishi L200 Double Cab most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 20.8% of tests, then suspension (14.5%).
Which L200 Double Cab years are best and worst for MOT results?
2011 has the best pass rate at 75.2% and 2002 the weakest at 70.0%, from 1,855 and 5,428 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect L200 Double Cab MOT results?
Fail rates run at 15.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.0% for 150k+, a 14.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 76,790 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.