1999 Toyota Corolla — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1999 Toyota Corolla passed 75.0% of its 9,421 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (27.4% fail rate), the 1999 Corolla comes out 2.4pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.9%) and brakes (10.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are catalyst emissions, service brake performance and wipers — catalyst emissions alone was recorded 795 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 14.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.1% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 33.3% 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 | 12.9% | 1,215 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.8% | 1,021 |
| 3 | Suspension | 9.3% | 875 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.1% | 573 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.7% | 540 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.6% | 531 |
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 | 795 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 573 |
| 3 | Wipers | 461 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 436 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 434 |
| 6 | Service brake imbalance | 406 |
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 | 33.3% | 3,141 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.4% | 2,678 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.1% | 2,644 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.6% | 1,842 |
| 5 | Other defects | 18.4% | 1,738 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.1% | 1,327 |
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 | 135 | 14.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,210 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,677 | 21.9% |
| 90-120k | 2,787 | 26.4% |
| 120-150k | 1,631 | 29.9% |
| 150k+ | 973 | 33.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,235 | 25.0% |
| Diesel | 186 | 26.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,745 | 24.6% |
| 2022 | 2,252 | 25.4% |
| 2023 | 1,794 | 24.3% |
| 2024 | 1,458 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 1,172 | 25.7% |
What to check before buying a 1999 Corolla
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 12.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (12.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.8% 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 (9.3% 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 1999 Toyota Corollas pass their MOT?
75.0% of the 9,421 1999 Toyota Corolla MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Toyota Corolla?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.9% of tests, followed by brakes (10.8%).
Does the 1999 Corolla get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.1% in the 0-30k band to 33.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,421 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.