Perodua Kelisa MOT pass rate & common failures
2,787 MOT tests on the Perodua Kelisa (2002–2012) give it a 75.2% pass rate. That is 2.2 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.1%. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, emissions & environmental and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 12.3% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of emissions & environmental, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, wipers and catalyst emissions — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 244 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 31.6% versus 19.0%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 26.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 23.9% in 2021 to 21.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Kelisa model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 282 | 71.3% | 28.7% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2003 | 329 | 71.7% | 28.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2004 | 386 | 71.2% | 28.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 425 | 73.9% | 26.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 487 | 76.4% | 23.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 331 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 350 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 146 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Visibility |
| 2010 | 43 | 88.4% | 11.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 343 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 9.0% | 251 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.2% | 228 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.9% | 219 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.4% | 178 |
| 6 | Tyres | 6.3% | 175 |
| 7 | Visibility | 6.2% | 173 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.9% | 81 |
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 | 244 |
| 2 | Wipers | 161 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 152 |
| 4 | Exhaust system | 138 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 136 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 129 |
| 7 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 102 |
| 8 | Headlamp | 101 |
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 | 26.5% | 738 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.3% | 706 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.8% | 663 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 15.3% | 425 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.6% | 406 |
| 6 | Other defects | 11.3% | 316 |
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 | 575 | 19.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,360 | 24.5% |
| 60-90k | 712 | 29.3% |
| 90-120k | 114 | 31.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 764 | 23.9% |
| 2022 | 659 | 25.6% |
| 2023 | 555 | 25.6% |
| 2024 | 456 | 27.0% |
| 2025 | 353 | 21.3% |
What to check before buying a Perodua Kelisa
- Lighting & signalling (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (9.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.2% 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 Perodua Kelisa?
75.2% of the 2,787 Perodua Kelisa MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.8% fail rate, across model years 2002–2012.
What does the Perodua Kelisa most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.3% of tests, then emissions & environmental (9.0%).
How much does mileage affect Kelisa MOT results?
Fail rates run at 19.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 31.6% for 90-120k, a 12.6-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,787 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.