2011 Skoda Roomster — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 10,011 MOT tests, the 2011 Skoda Roomster recorded a 79.7% pass rate. That is 4.1 percentage points better than MPVs of a similar age, which fail at 24.4%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.5%) and lighting & signalling (7.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, individual direction indicators and coil spring — pins and bushes alone was recorded 420 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.7% versus 9.4%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.6pp more often than petrol ones (23.1% vs 18.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.5% | 855 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 780 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 551 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 516 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 424 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.8% | 278 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 420 |
| 2 | Individual direction indicators | 297 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 295 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 286 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 246 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 244 |
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 | 27.4% | 2,745 |
| 2 | Brakes | 25.8% | 2,583 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.4% | 2,039 |
| 4 | Other defects | 11.8% | 1,183 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 10.9% | 1,096 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 9.6% | 957 |
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 | 352 | 9.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,383 | 14.8% |
| 60-90k | 3,665 | 20.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,382 | 23.7% |
| 120-150k | 941 | 28.7% |
| 150k+ | 282 | 27.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,132 | 18.5% |
| Diesel | 3,879 | 23.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,074 | 18.0% |
| 2022 | 2,043 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 2,048 | 21.1% |
| 2024 | 1,954 | 22.1% |
| 2025 | 1,892 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Roomster
On a 2011 Roomster, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 8.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (8.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.5% 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 2011 Skoda Roomsters pass their MOT?
79.7% of the 10,011 2011 Skoda Roomster MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Skoda Roomster?
Suspension, recorded in 8.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.8%).
Does the 2011 Roomster get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.4% in the 0-30k band to 27.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,011 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.