2003 Toyota Avensis — MOT failures & pass rate
16,315 MOT tests on the 2003 Toyota Avensis are in this dataset, and 75.6% of them passed. That is 3.8 percentage points better than large family cars of a similar age, which fail at 28.1%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.9% of tests against 9.1% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp — position lamp alone was recorded 1,359 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 28.4% versus 10.6%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 24.1% fail against 26.2% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 16,311 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 30.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.9% | 3,076 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.1% | 1,486 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 9.0% | 1,465 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.2% | 1,340 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.2% | 1,017 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.1% | 824 |
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 | 1,359 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 990 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 987 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 943 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 796 |
| 6 | Wipers | 713 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 30.3% | 4,942 |
| 2 | Suspension | 29.5% | 4,814 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.6% | 4,336 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.6% | 2,710 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.0% | 2,607 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 14.0% | 2,282 |
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 | 94 | 10.6% |
| 30-60k | 1,163 | 17.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,360 | 20.2% |
| 90-120k | 5,075 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 3,709 | 28.1% |
| 150k+ | 2,912 | 28.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 14,516 | 24.1% |
| Diesel | 1,795 | 26.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,840 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 3,873 | 23.9% |
| 2023 | 3,140 | 23.5% |
| 2024 | 2,495 | 24.5% |
| 2025 | 1,967 | 25.6% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Avensis
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 18.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (18.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.1% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (9.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Avensiss pass their MOT?
75.6% of the 16,315 2003 Toyota Avensis MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Toyota Avensis?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.9% of tests, followed by brakes (9.1%).
Does the 2003 Avensis get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.6% in the 0-30k band to 28.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,315 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.