2000 Mitsubishi Pajero — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero passed 76.3% of its 468 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 26.8% of the time, so this is 3.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.9%) and body, structure & corrosion (11.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are integral vehicle structure condition, chassis condition and component mounting prescribed areas — integral vehicle structure condition alone was recorded 40 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2000 Pajero fails 23.6% of the time in the 60-90k band and 23.1% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.6 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.9% | 65 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.5% | 54 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.8% | 46 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.8% | 41 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.5% | 21 |
| 6 | Steering | 4.1% | 19 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 40 |
| 2 | Chassis condition | 33 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 29 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 27 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 23 |
| 6 | Prescribed areas | 22 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 36.3% | 170 |
| 2 | Suspension | 35.5% | 166 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 30.3% | 142 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 23.9% | 112 |
| 5 | Other defects | 21.4% | 100 |
| 6 | Tyres | 16.4% | 77 |
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 | 55 | 23.6% |
| 90-120k | 76 | 26.3% |
| 120-150k | 80 | 20.0% |
| 150k+ | 234 | 23.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 408 | 23.3% |
| Petrol | 60 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 140 | 23.6% |
| 2022 | 116 | 21.6% |
| 2023 | 93 | 23.7% |
| 2024 | 64 | 25.0% |
| 2025 | 55 | 27.3% |
What to check before buying a 2000 Pajero
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (11.5% 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 (9.8% 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
How many 2000 Mitsubishi Pajeros pass their MOT?
76.3% of the 468 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.9% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (11.5%).
Does the 2000 Pajero get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.6% in the 60-90k band to 23.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 468 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.