Toyota 4 Runner MOT pass rate & common failures
The Toyota 4 Runner appears in 1,403 MOT tests spanning model years 1984–2024, and 78.6% of them passed. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (21.9% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.3% of all tests — 4.3 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, service brake performance and position lamp — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 77 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 24.4% once past 150k — 3.8× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 6.7pp more often than petrol ones (24.1% vs 17.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 27.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 23.1% in 2021 to 19.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every 4 Runner model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 53 | 73.6% | 26.4% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 1994 | 189 | 76.2% | 23.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 141 | 72.3% | 27.7% | Suspension |
| 1996 | 108 | 63.9% | 36.1% | Suspension |
| 1998 | 34 | 73.5% | 26.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2002 | 41 | 80.5% | 19.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 84 | 73.8% | 26.2% | Brakes |
| 2004 | 80 | 83.8% | 16.3% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2005 | 75 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 40 | 85.0% | 15.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 64 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2016 | 41 | 85.4% | 14.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2017 | 118 | 91.5% | 8.5% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 30 | 83.3% | 16.7% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2020 | 34 | 82.3% | 17.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 44 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 186 |
| 2 | Suspension | 9.0% | 126 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.1% | 113 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.7% | 108 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.7% | 52 |
| 6 | Steering | 2.9% | 40 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.5% | 35 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 32 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 77 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 63 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 61 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 58 |
| 5 | Prescribed areas | 54 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 49 |
| 7 | Wipers | 42 |
| 8 | Integral vehicle structure condition | 42 |
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 | 27.0% | 379 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.3% | 228 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 13.2% | 185 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.2% | 185 |
| 5 | Tyres | 12.0% | 169 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.0% | 126 |
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 | 93 | 6.5% |
| 30-60k | 127 | 11.0% |
| 60-90k | 145 | 20.7% |
| 90-120k | 216 | 23.6% |
| 120-150k | 268 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 554 | 24.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 825 | 24.1% |
| Petrol | 575 | 17.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 338 | 23.1% |
| 2022 | 297 | 22.9% |
| 2023 | 276 | 22.1% |
| 2024 | 262 | 18.7% |
| 2025 | 230 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a Toyota 4 Runner
- Lighting & signalling (13.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (9.0% 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.
- Brakes (8.1% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Toyota 4 Runner?
78.6% of the 1,403 Toyota 4 Runner MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 21.4% fail rate, across model years 1984–2024.
What does the Toyota 4 Runner most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.3% of tests, then suspension (9.0%).
How much does mileage affect 4 Runner MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 24.4% for 150k+, a 17.9-point difference.
Is the petrol or diesel 4 Runner more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the petrol fails 17.4% of the time against 24.1% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,403 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.