1989 Toyota Hilux — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1989 Toyota Hilux passed 79.8% of its 367 recorded MOT tests. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 22.1% of the time, so this is 2.0pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (12.0%) and brakes (10.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, position lamp and wipers — service brake performance alone was recorded 30 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 25.5% of 60-90k cars fail, rising to 20.7% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 26.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 27.5% in 2021 to 16.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 12.0% | 44 |
| 2 | Brakes | 10.3% | 38 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.7% | 32 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.2% | 19 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.6% | 17 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 13 |
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 | Position lamp | 23 |
| 3 | Wipers | 15 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 14 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 11 |
| 6 | Service brake imbalance | 11 |
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 | 26.7% | 98 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.9% | 95 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 22.1% | 81 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 17.2% | 63 |
| 5 | Other defects | 13.1% | 48 |
| 6 | Tyres | 12.0% | 44 |
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 | 47 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 82 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 68 | 8.8% |
| 150k+ | 135 | 20.7% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 279 | 21.5% |
| Petrol | 88 | 15.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 91 | 27.5% |
| 2022 | 72 | 16.7% |
| 2023 | 75 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 67 | 16.4% |
| 2025 | 62 | 16.1% |
What to check before buying a 1989 Hilux
On a 1989 Hilux, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (12.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.3% 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.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.7% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 1989 Toyota Hiluxs pass their MOT?
79.8% of the 367 1989 Toyota Hilux MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1989 Toyota Hilux?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 12.0% of tests, followed by brakes (10.3%).
Does the 1989 Hilux get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.5% in the 60-90k band to 20.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 367 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.