2008 Toyota Corolla — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 22,911 MOT tests, the 2008 Toyota Corolla recorded an 80.3% pass rate. Against small family cars of a similar age (26.3% fail rate), the 2008 Corolla comes out 6.6pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.2% of tests against 7.5% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, stop lamp and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 2,144 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.6% versus 14.9%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.9% fail against 21.6% for diesel, a 3.7-point gap across 22,894 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 31.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 18.2% | 4,177 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.5% | 1,714 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.0% | 1,385 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.5% | 1,260 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 1,026 |
| 6 | Suspension | 4.3% | 982 |
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 | 2,144 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 1,265 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,080 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 1,046 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 933 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 710 |
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 | 31.6% | 7,228 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.5% | 6,753 |
| 3 | Suspension | 29.3% | 6,714 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 17.3% | 3,967 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.8% | 3,384 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 11.4% | 2,607 |
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 | 14.9% |
| 30-60k | 997 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 3,988 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 7,315 | 18.8% |
| 120-150k | 5,943 | 21.6% |
| 150k+ | 4,565 | 23.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 11,883 | 17.9% |
| Diesel | 11,011 | 21.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,535 | 19.0% |
| 2022 | 5,149 | 18.5% |
| 2023 | 4,646 | 20.0% |
| 2024 | 4,091 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 3,490 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Corolla
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 18.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (18.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% 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.
- Visibility (6.0% 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 2008 Toyota Corollas pass their MOT?
80.3% of the 22,911 2008 Toyota Corolla MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Toyota Corolla?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 18.2% of tests, followed by brakes (7.5%).
Does the 2008 Corolla get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.9% in the 0-30k band to 23.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 22,911 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.