2011 Subaru Legacy — MOT failures & pass rate
2,768 MOT tests on the 2011 Subaru Legacy are in this dataset, and 79.1% of them passed. Against large family cars of a similar age (22.9% fail rate), the 2011 Legacy comes out 2.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 14.0% of all tests — 6.4 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, pins and bushes and malfunction indicator lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 243 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 25.5% versus 6.7%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 4.4pp more often than petrol ones (23.2% vs 18.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.9% 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 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 387 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.5% | 209 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.0% | 194 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 164 |
| 5 | Tyres | 5.5% | 152 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.4% | 67 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 243 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 111 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 100 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 97 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 92 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 86 |
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 | 29.9% | 829 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.9% | 772 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.0% | 692 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 333 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.0% | 331 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.5% | 207 |
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 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 235 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 853 | 18.4% |
| 90-120k | 894 | 22.6% |
| 120-150k | 541 | 24.8% |
| 150k+ | 212 | 25.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,430 | 18.7% |
| Diesel | 1,338 | 23.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 593 | 18.9% |
| 2022 | 566 | 19.6% |
| 2023 | 562 | 20.3% |
| 2024 | 542 | 23.3% |
| 2025 | 505 | 22.8% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Legacy
On a 2011 Legacy, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% 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.
- Suspension (7.0% 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
How many 2011 Subaru Legacys pass their MOT?
79.1% of the 2,768 2011 Subaru Legacy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Subaru Legacy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.0% of tests, followed by brakes (7.5%).
Does the 2011 Legacy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.7% in the 0-30k band to 25.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,768 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.