2016 Toyota Proace — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Toyota Proace passed 77.5% of its 3,805 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (19.5% fail rate), the 2016 Proace comes out 3.0pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 17.1% of all tests — 6.4 points clear of body, structure & corrosion, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are joints, position lamp and headlamp — joints alone was recorded 358 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 26.8% versus 10.0%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 23.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 21.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.1% | 649 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.6% | 405 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.7% | 216 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.6% | 213 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 209 |
| 6 | Tyres | 4.9% | 185 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 358 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 317 |
| 3 | Headlamp | 184 |
| 4 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 174 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 162 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 148 |
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 | 23.5% | 894 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.0% | 837 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 13.8% | 524 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.5% | 438 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.3% | 317 |
| 6 | Visibility | 7.0% | 266 |
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 | 210 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,083 | 18.6% |
| 60-90k | 1,197 | 24.5% |
| 90-120k | 725 | 25.2% |
| 120-150k | 383 | 26.6% |
| 150k+ | 205 | 26.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 787 | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 741 | 19.3% |
| 2023 | 786 | 23.4% |
| 2024 | 747 | 23.4% |
| 2025 | 744 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Proace
On a 2016 Proace, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 17.1% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (17.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (10.6% 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+.
- Brakes (5.7% 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.
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 2016 Toyota Proaces pass their MOT?
77.5% of the 3,805 2016 Toyota Proace MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Toyota Proace?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.1% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (10.6%).
Does the 2016 Proace get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 26.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,805 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.