1986 Peugeot 205 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1986 Peugeot 205 passed 81.9% of its 470 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 20.4% of the time, so this is 2.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (11.5%) and brakes (9.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, headlamp aim and washers — service brake performance alone was recorded 43 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.5% versus 13.9%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 20.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 21.4% in 2021 to 14.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 54 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.6% | 45 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.4% | 30 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.5% | 26 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.6% | 17 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 14 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 43 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 27 |
| 3 | Washers | 26 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 23 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 16 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 13 |
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 | 20.8% | 98 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.6% | 92 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 16.4% | 77 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.1% | 71 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.7% | 55 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.3% | 39 |
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 | 36 | 13.9% |
| 30-60k | 78 | 17.9% |
| 60-90k | 99 | 15.2% |
| 90-120k | 103 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 82 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 65 | 21.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 103 | 21.4% |
| 2022 | 96 | 18.8% |
| 2023 | 98 | 20.4% |
| 2024 | 83 | 14.5% |
| 2025 | 90 | 14.4% |
What to check before buying a 1986 205
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.6% 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.
- Visibility (6.4% 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 1986 Peugeot 205s pass their MOT?
81.9% of the 470 1986 Peugeot 205 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1986 Peugeot 205?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.5% of tests, followed by brakes (9.6%).
Does the 1986 205 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.9% in the 0-30k band to 21.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 470 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.