Porsche 911 Carrera MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 41 model years and 2,274 tests, the Porsche 911 Carrera passes its MOT 94.8% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 12.1% of the time, so this is 6.9pp better than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (2.5%) and lighting & signalling (1.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, tread depth and registration plates — headlamp aim alone was recorded 31 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 4.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.8% once past 90-120k — 3.5× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 13.5% in 2021 to 5.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every 911 Carrera model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 31 | 93.5% | 6.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1998 | 34 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2001 | 56 | 89.3% | 10.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 115 | 97.4% | 2.6% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 699 | 94.8% | 5.1% | Tyres |
| 2020 | 650 | 96.9% | 3.1% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 347 | 96.3% | 3.8% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 150 | 95.3% | 4.7% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 2.5% | 58 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 43 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 16 |
| 4 | Other defects | 0.6% | 14 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 11 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.5% | 11 |
| 7 | Visibility | 0.4% | 9 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 29 |
| 3 | Registration plates | 20 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 17 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 8 |
| 6 | Individual direction indicators | 8 |
| 7 | Stop lamp | 7 |
| 8 | Rear fog lamp | 5 |
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 | 12.5% | 285 |
| 2 | Other defects | 3.2% | 72 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.9% | 66 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 46 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 34 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 31 |
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 | 1,712 | 4.0% |
| 30-60k | 317 | 6.3% |
| 60-90k | 114 | 8.8% |
| 90-120k | 94 | 13.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 89 | 13.5% |
| 2022 | 241 | 4.2% |
| 2023 | 483 | 4.3% |
| 2024 | 647 | 5.0% |
| 2025 | 814 | 5.4% |
What to check before buying a Porsche 911 Carrera
- Tyres (2.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (0.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Porsche 911 Carrera?
94.8% of the 2,274 Porsche 911 Carrera MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 5.2% fail rate, across model years 1983–2023.
What does the Porsche 911 Carrera most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 2.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (1.9%).
How much does mileage affect 911 Carrera MOT results?
Fail rates run at 4.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.8% for 90-120k, a 9.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,274 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.