1995 Peugeot 405 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 605 MOT tests, the 1995 Peugeot 405 recorded a 72.2% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 24.3% of the time, so this is 3.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (14.1%) and lighting & signalling (12.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are component mounting prescribed areas, service brake performance and steering rack — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 90 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 15.2% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 28.0% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 30.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.5% in 2021 to 24.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 14.1% | 85 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.7% | 77 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.2% | 74 |
| 4 | Steering | 9.8% | 59 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.4% | 57 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.1% | 37 |
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 | 90 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 61 |
| 3 | Steering rack | 55 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 36 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 30 |
| 6 | Washers | 29 |
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 | 30.1% | 182 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.9% | 175 |
| 3 | Tyres | 22.6% | 137 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.0% | 103 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 16.7% | 101 |
| 6 | Other defects | 10.6% | 64 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 33 | 15.2% |
| 60-90k | 81 | 28.4% |
| 90-120k | 122 | 31.1% |
| 120-150k | 165 | 27.9% |
| 150k+ | 200 | 28.0% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 384 | 27.1% |
| Petrol | 221 | 29.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 167 | 27.5% |
| 2022 | 147 | 29.9% |
| 2023 | 120 | 30.0% |
| 2024 | 89 | 24.7% |
| 2025 | 82 | 24.4% |
What to check before buying a 1995 405
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 14.1% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (14.1% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (12.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (12.2% 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.
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 1995 Peugeot 405s pass their MOT?
72.2% of the 605 1995 Peugeot 405 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1995 Peugeot 405?
Brakes, recorded in 14.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.7%).
Does the 1995 405 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.2% in the 30-60k band to 28.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 605 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.