2014 Subaru Forester — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Subaru Forester passed 81.8% of its 7,031 recorded MOT tests. Mid-size SUVs of a similar age fail at 18.0%, so the 2014 Forester sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 12.4% of all tests — 7.2 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and ball joint — pins and bushes alone was recorded 488 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.2% versus 10.1%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (19.9% vs 16.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 23.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.4% | 873 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 370 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.9% | 274 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.2% | 225 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 166 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.9% | 62 |
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 | 488 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 426 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 236 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 170 |
| 5 | Wipers | 148 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 112 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 23.9% | 1,680 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.6% | 1,381 |
| 3 | Tyres | 18.7% | 1,313 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.3% | 511 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 310 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 251 |
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 | 297 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,824 | 12.2% |
| 60-90k | 2,602 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,587 | 24.4% |
| 120-150k | 539 | 23.2% |
| 150k+ | 182 | 24.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,777 | 19.9% |
| Petrol | 3,254 | 16.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,394 | 14.6% |
| 2022 | 1,410 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 1,415 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 1,410 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 1,402 | 21.4% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Forester
On a 2014 Forester, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (12.4% 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 (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.9% 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 2014 Subaru Foresters pass their MOT?
81.8% of the 7,031 2014 Subaru Forester MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Subaru Forester?
Suspension, recorded in 12.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.3%).
Does the 2014 Forester get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 24.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,031 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.