2021 Toyota Camry — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 730 MOT tests, the 2021 Toyota Camry recorded a 94.5% pass rate. Against large family cars of a similar age (9.6% fail rate), the 2021 Camry comes out 4.1pp better. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.7%) and lighting & signalling (1.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, wipers and rear fog lamp — tread depth alone was recorded 16 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 11.4% versus 3.1%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 12.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.4% in 2021 to 6.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.7% | 27 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 1.9% | 14 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.5% | 4 |
| 4 | Brakes | 0.4% | 3 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 2 |
| 6 | Other defects | 0.1% | 1 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 16 |
| 2 | Wipers | 5 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 4 |
| 4 | Reversing lamps | 3 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 3 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 2 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 12.5% | 91 |
| 2 | Visibility | 3.3% | 24 |
| 3 | Other defects | 3.0% | 22 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.3% | 17 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 4 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.3% | 2 |
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 | 292 | 3.1% |
| 30-60k | 281 | 7.1% |
| 60-90k | 106 | 3.8% |
| 90-120k | 35 | 11.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35 | 11.4% |
| 2022 | 59 | 1.7% |
| 2023 | 72 | 2.8% |
| 2024 | 271 | 5.5% |
| 2025 | 293 | 6.1% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Camry
On a 2021 Camry, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (0.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 2021 Toyota Camrys pass their MOT?
94.5% of the 730 2021 Toyota Camry MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 5.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Toyota Camry?
Tyres, recorded in 3.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (1.9%).
Does the 2021 Camry get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.1% in the 0-30k band to 11.4% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 730 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.