2009 Toyota Corolla — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Toyota Corolla passed 80.3% of its 8,553 recorded MOT tests. Against small family cars of a similar age (25.3% fail rate), the 2009 Corolla comes out 5.7pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 17.6% of all tests — 11.3 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, wipers and stop lamp — position lamp alone was recorded 804 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.8% versus 6.3%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.7pp more often than petrol ones (21.2% vs 18.5%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 30.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 18.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 22.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.6% | 1,507 |
| 2 | Brakes | 6.4% | 544 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.1% | 520 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.3% | 449 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.5% | 386 |
| 6 | Suspension | 4.4% | 375 |
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 | 804 |
| 2 | Wipers | 427 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 408 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 358 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 332 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 274 |
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 | 30.7% | 2,628 |
| 2 | Suspension | 28.3% | 2,425 |
| 3 | Tyres | 28.2% | 2,409 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.9% | 1,272 |
| 5 | Other defects | 14.7% | 1,255 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.8% | 748 |
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 | 32 | 6.3% |
| 30-60k | 507 | 15.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,923 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,950 | 19.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,820 | 23.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,319 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 4,995 | 18.5% |
| Diesel | 3,556 | 21.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,970 | 18.8% |
| 2022 | 1,849 | 18.7% |
| 2023 | 1,735 | 18.8% |
| 2024 | 1,583 | 20.5% |
| 2025 | 1,416 | 22.4% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Corolla
On a 2009 Corolla, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.6% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (17.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.4% 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 (6.1% 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 2009 Toyota Corollas pass their MOT?
80.3% of the 8,553 2009 Toyota Corolla MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Toyota Corolla?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.6% of tests, followed by brakes (6.4%).
Does the 2009 Corolla get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.3% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 8,553 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.