1993 Toyota Carina — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 393 MOT tests, the 1993 Toyota Carina recorded a 77.6% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (23.5% fail rate), the 1993 Carina comes out 1.1pp better. Failures cluster in emissions & environmental, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — emissions & environmental (9.7%) and brakes (8.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, rigid brake pipes and component mounting prescribed areas — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 59 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 16.7% in the 30-60k band and 32.4% in the 150k+ band, a 15.7-point spread.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 28.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 9.7% | 38 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.4% | 33 |
| 3 | Visibility | 7.6% | 30 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.1% | 28 |
| 5 | Suspension | 7.1% | 28 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 26 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalyst emissions | 59 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 27 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 22 |
| 4 | Wipers | 17 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 15 |
| 6 | Joints | 15 |
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 | 28.2% | 111 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.0% | 110 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.9% | 86 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 17.1% | 67 |
| 5 | Other defects | 16.5% | 65 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.5% | 57 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 36 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 98 | 19.4% |
| 90-120k | 77 | 16.9% |
| 120-150k | 69 | 24.6% |
| 150k+ | 102 | 32.4% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 356 | 22.2% |
| Diesel | 37 | 24.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 100 | 19.0% |
| 2022 | 86 | 19.8% |
| 2023 | 83 | 24.1% |
| 2024 | 71 | 26.8% |
| 2025 | 53 | 24.5% |
What to check before buying a 1993 Carina
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: emissions & environmental accounted for 9.7% of tests. Start there.
- Emissions & environmental (9.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Brakes (8.4% 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.
- Visibility (7.6% 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 1993 Toyota Carinas pass their MOT?
77.6% of the 393 1993 Toyota Carina MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1993 Toyota Carina?
Emissions & environmental, recorded in 9.7% of tests, followed by brakes (8.4%).
Does the 1993 Carina get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.7% in the 30-60k band to 32.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 393 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.