Porsche 944 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 40 model years and 13,711 tests, the Porsche 944 passes its MOT 80.8% of the time. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (17.2% fail rate), the 944 comes out 2.0pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
Best and worst 944 years
Ranked across 944 years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
The strongest year on this record is 1990 (84.3% pass rate); the weakest is 1988 (76.6%). Older cars carry more of the difference than the average implies.
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.8% of all tests — 4.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are washers, headlamp aim and service brake performance — washers alone was recorded 697 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 944 fails 20.6% of the time in the 0-30k band and 23.4% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.8 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 21.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 20.8% in 2021 to 16.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every 944 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 120 | 82.5% | 17.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 378 | 78.0% | 22.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1984 | 562 | 78.3% | 21.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 1,031 | 81.0% | 19.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 1,698 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1987 | 1,211 | 79.0% | 21.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 1,668 | 76.6% | 23.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 2,570 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 1,814 | 84.3% | 15.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1991 | 1,651 | 82.9% | 17.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 865 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 1,614 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.3% | 1,006 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.3% | 859 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.2% | 846 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 516 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.7% | 509 |
| 7 | Steering | 1.8% | 246 |
| 8 | Tyres | 1.4% | 198 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 697 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 686 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 618 |
| 4 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 512 |
| 5 | Rear fog lamp | 466 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 379 |
| 7 | Non catalyst emissions | 351 |
| 8 | Rbt (sp) | 350 |
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 | 21.8% | 2,988 |
| 2 | Suspension | 19.9% | 2,729 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 14.3% | 1,963 |
| 4 | Tyres | 9.8% | 1,345 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.7% | 1,061 |
| 6 | Other defects | 7.6% | 1,043 |
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 | 780 | 20.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,216 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 2,331 | 15.7% |
| 90-120k | 3,284 | 17.7% |
| 120-150k | 3,146 | 20.4% |
| 150k+ | 2,934 | 23.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,056 | 20.8% |
| 2022 | 2,966 | 20.4% |
| 2023 | 2,768 | 18.9% |
| 2024 | 2,546 | 18.9% |
| 2025 | 2,375 | 16.3% |
What to check before buying a Porsche 944
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.3% 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.
- Suspension (6.3% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Porsche 944?
80.8% of the 13,711 Porsche 944 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 19.2% fail rate, across model years 1982–2021.
What does the Porsche 944 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.8% of tests, then brakes (7.3%).
Which 944 years are best and worst for MOT results?
1990 has the best pass rate at 84.3% and 1988 the weakest at 76.6%, from 1,814 and 1,668 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect 944 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 20.6% for cars in the 0-30k band and 23.4% for 150k+, a 2.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,711 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.