1998 Peugeot Partner — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1998 Peugeot Partner passed 68.2% of its 437 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 29.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (19.7%) and suspension (19.0%) 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, stop lamp and position lamp — component mounting prescribed areas alone was recorded 42 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 41.7% of 60-90k cars fail, rising to 35.3% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 40.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 31.4% in 2021 to 29.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 19.7% | 86 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.0% | 83 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.2% | 49 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.1% | 44 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.8% | 34 |
| 6 | Tyres | 7.3% | 32 |
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 | 42 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 32 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 30 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 30 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 27 |
| 6 | Wipers | 25 |
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 | 40.1% | 175 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 35.2% | 154 |
| 3 | Suspension | 34.5% | 151 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 25.2% | 110 |
| 5 | Tyres | 24.9% | 109 |
| 6 | Other defects | 18.3% | 80 |
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 | 36 | 41.7% |
| 90-120k | 106 | 33.0% |
| 120-150k | 127 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 156 | 35.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 407 | 31.2% |
| Petrol | 30 | 40.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 153 | 31.4% |
| 2022 | 115 | 34.8% |
| 2023 | 79 | 31.6% |
| 2024 | 49 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 41 | 29.3% |
What to check before buying a 1998 Partner
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 19.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (19.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (19.0% 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.
- Brakes (11.2% 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 1998 Peugeot Partners pass their MOT?
68.2% of the 437 1998 Peugeot Partner MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1998 Peugeot Partner?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 19.7% of tests, followed by suspension (19.0%).
Does the 1998 Partner get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 41.7% in the 60-90k band to 35.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 437 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.