2003 Toyota Alphard- — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,235 MOT tests, the 2003 Toyota Alphard- recorded a 78.3% pass rate. That is 5.8 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.6% of all tests — 5.0 points clear of suspension, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rear fog lamp and wipers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 156 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2003 Alphard- fails 24.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 27.7% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 33.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 303 |
| 2 | Suspension | 8.6% | 192 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.1% | 113 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.8% | 107 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.4% | 99 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.3% | 74 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 156 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 112 |
| 3 | Wipers | 87 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 76 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 76 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 70 |
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 | 33.2% | 743 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.1% | 495 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.7% | 485 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 17.3% | 386 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.1% | 180 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.2% | 117 |
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 | 50 | 24.0% |
| 30-60k | 403 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 752 | 20.2% |
| 90-120k | 568 | 24.6% |
| 120-150k | 287 | 24.7% |
| 150k+ | 170 | 27.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 1,925 | 22.3% |
| Petrol | 308 | 17.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 335 | 18.5% |
| 2022 | 349 | 18.3% |
| 2023 | 367 | 20.4% |
| 2024 | 598 | 24.4% |
| 2025 | 586 | 23.7% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Alphard-
On a 2003 Alphard-, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (8.6% 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 (5.1% 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
How many 2003 Toyota Alphard-s pass their MOT?
78.3% of the 2,235 2003 Toyota Alphard- MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Toyota Alphard-?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.6% of tests, followed by suspension (8.6%).
Does the 2003 Alphard- get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 24.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,235 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.