2015 Mitsubishi Lancer — MOT failures & pass rate
363 MOT tests on the 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer are in this dataset, and 92.8% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (14.9% fail rate), the 2015 Lancer comes out 7.7pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests against 3.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, headlamp aim and rear fog lamp — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 16 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2015 Lancer fails 6.3% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.9% at 120-150k, a spread of only 0.4 points.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.3% | 23 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 11 |
| 3 | Visibility | 2.5% | 9 |
| 4 | Suspension | 1.9% | 7 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.4% | 5 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 16 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 8 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 6 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 6 |
| 5 | Washers | 5 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 4 |
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 | 7.7% | 28 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.3% | 23 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 16 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.1% | 15 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 11 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 9 |
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 | 32 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 58 | 10.3% |
| 60-90k | 140 | 6.4% |
| 90-120k | 74 | 5.4% |
| 120-150k | 34 | 5.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103 | 11.7% |
| 2022 | 81 | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 67 | 3.0% |
| 2024 | 55 | 5.5% |
| 2025 | 57 | 10.5% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Lancer
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 6.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (6.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Visibility (2.5% 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.
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 2015 Mitsubishi Lancers pass their MOT?
92.8% of the 363 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 7.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.0%).
Does the 2015 Lancer get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 5.9% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 363 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.