2005 Toyota Alphard- — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Toyota Alphard- passed 81.7% of its 4,311 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (27.7% fail rate), the 2005 Alphard- comes out 9.4pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 11.6% of all tests — 4.8 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 linkage ball joint dust cover — headlamp aim alone was recorded 244 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.0% versus 13.2%.
Split by fuel, hybrid examples fail 3.9pp more often than petrol ones (18.8% vs 14.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 29.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.6% | 500 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.8% | 294 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.5% | 194 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.8% | 162 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 151 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 78 |
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 | 244 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 188 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 151 |
| 4 | Wipers | 144 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 135 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 102 |
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 | 29.7% | 1,281 |
| 2 | Tyres | 23.2% | 1,002 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.8% | 722 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 12.6% | 543 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 234 |
| 6 | Other defects | 4.5% | 196 |
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 | 76 | 13.2% |
| 30-60k | 933 | 14.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,711 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 944 | 19.3% |
| 120-150k | 466 | 24.0% |
| 150k+ | 175 | 24.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 3,752 | 18.8% |
| Petrol | 559 | 14.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 591 | 14.2% |
| 2022 | 778 | 17.0% |
| 2023 | 844 | 17.3% |
| 2024 | 1,027 | 19.5% |
| 2025 | 1,071 | 21.1% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Alphard-
On a 2005 Alphard-, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 11.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (11.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.8% 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.
- Tyres (4.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2005 Toyota Alphard-s pass their MOT?
81.7% of the 4,311 2005 Toyota Alphard- MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Toyota Alphard-?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.6% of tests, followed by suspension (6.8%).
Does the 2005 Alphard- get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.2% in the 0-30k band to 24.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,311 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.