2009 Porsche Panamera — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 540 MOT tests, the 2009 Porsche Panamera recorded a 90.6% pass rate. Against executive cars of a similar age (21.8% fail rate), the 2009 Panamera comes out 12.4pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.6%) and tyres (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, position lamp and catalyst emissions — tread depth alone was recorded 15 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2009 Panamera fails 10.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 13.2% at 120-150k, a spread of only 3.2 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.6% | 25 |
| 2 | Tyres | 3.7% | 20 |
| 3 | Brakes | 1.5% | 8 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.1% | 6 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 6 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.6% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 15 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 9 |
| 3 | Catalyst emissions | 9 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 7 |
| 5 | Headlamp cleaning device | 7 |
| 6 | Electronic parking brake | 4 |
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 | 19.6% | 106 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.0% | 65 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.7% | 20 |
| 4 | Suspension | 2.8% | 15 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 12 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.2% | 12 |
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 | 30 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 127 | 7.9% |
| 60-90k | 206 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 134 | 9.7% |
| 120-150k | 38 | 13.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 109 | 6.4% |
| 2022 | 105 | 7.6% |
| 2023 | 114 | 14.0% |
| 2024 | 100 | 9.0% |
| 2025 | 112 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Panamera
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.6% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (3.7% 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.
- Brakes (1.5% 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 2009 Porsche Panameras pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 540 2009 Porsche Panamera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Porsche Panamera?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.6% of tests, followed by tyres (3.7%).
Does the 2009 Panamera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 13.2% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 540 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.