1991 Toyota Celica — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 Toyota Celica passed 75.8% of its 410 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 18.8% of the time, so this is 5.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.4%) and brakes (9.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, component mounting prescribed areas and prescribed areas — service brake performance alone was recorded 30 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1991 Celica fails 24.2% of the time in the 60-90k band and 20.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: emissions & environmental was flagged on 35.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.1% in 2021 to 19.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.4% | 51 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.5% | 39 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.1% | 29 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.8% | 28 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 6.8% | 28 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.6% | 23 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Service brake performance | 30 |
| 2 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 26 |
| 3 | Prescribed areas | 24 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 20 |
| 5 | Service brake imbalance | 17 |
| 6 | Wipers | 16 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emissions & environmental | 35.1% | 144 |
| 2 | Brakes | 34.4% | 141 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 26.1% | 107 |
| 4 | Suspension | 23.9% | 98 |
| 5 | Tyres | 16.6% | 68 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.9% | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 66 | 24.2% |
| 90-120k | 118 | 18.6% |
| 120-150k | 124 | 31.4% |
| 150k+ | 73 | 20.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96 | 28.1% |
| 2022 | 97 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 66 | 19.7% |
| 2024 | 75 | 24.0% |
| 2025 | 76 | 19.7% |
What to check before buying a 1991 Celica
On a 1991 Celica, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (12.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.5% 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.
- Suspension (7.1% 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.
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 1991 Toyota Celicas pass their MOT?
75.8% of the 410 1991 Toyota Celica MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 Toyota Celica?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.4% of tests, followed by brakes (9.5%).
Does the 1991 Celica get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 24.2% in the 60-90k band to 20.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 410 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.