Toyota Corolla: brakes MOT failures
Of the 631,755 Toyota Corolla MOT tests in this dataset, 7.5% recorded at least one brakes failure. It shows up most on 2003 and 2004 cars.
Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair cost: £100–£350 per axle (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Brakes failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 406 | 6.9% |
| 1991 | 459 | 7.0% |
| 1992 | 934 | 5.3% |
| 1993 | 1,394 | 6.4% |
| 1994 | 1,372 | 6.9% |
| 1995 | 1,215 | 8.4% |
| 1996 | 1,528 | 7.8% |
| 1997 | 3,956 | 7.2% |
| 1998 | 7,630 | 9.3% |
| 1999 | 9,421 | 10.8% |
| 2000 | 9,428 | 11.2% |
| 2001 | 15,214 | 11.2% |
| 2002 | 28,724 | 12.2% |
| 2003 | 42,688 | 13.1% |
| 2004 | 55,733 | 13.3% |
| 2005 | 82,346 | 11.9% |
| 2006 | 88,767 | 10.4% |
| 2007 | 32,508 | 8.9% |
| 2008 | 22,911 | 7.5% |
| 2009 | 8,553 | 6.4% |
| 2010 | 608 | 4.8% |
| 2014 | 294 | 2.7% |
| 2019 | 72,084 | 0.7% |
| 2020 | 61,965 | 0.6% |
| 2021 | 44,918 | 0.4% |
| 2022 | 25,701 | 0.3% |
| 2023 | 6,215 | 0.4% |
| 2024 | 2,241 | 0.1% |
Methodology & source. 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.