2013 Toyota RAV4 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Toyota RAV4 passed 86.9% of its 34,474 recorded MOT tests. That is 7.2 percentage points better than mid-size SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 20.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (6.2%) and brakes (5.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp, brake pads and wipers — headlamp alone was recorded 971 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.2% once past 150k — 3.7× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.4pp more often than petrol ones (13.3% vs 9.9%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 25.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 6.2% | 2,131 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.3% | 1,812 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.7% | 1,615 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.3% | 1,143 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 1,038 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 173 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp | 971 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 918 |
| 3 | Wipers | 808 |
| 4 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 751 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 732 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 592 |
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 | 25.7% | 8,870 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.1% | 7,257 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.5% | 5,329 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.8% | 2,700 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 1,387 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 1,219 |
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 | 900 | 5.2% |
| 30-60k | 7,162 | 8.1% |
| 60-90k | 13,055 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 8,823 | 15.5% |
| 120-150k | 3,350 | 19.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,183 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 32,116 | 13.3% |
| Petrol | 2,350 | 9.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,884 | 9.9% |
| 2022 | 6,924 | 11.8% |
| 2023 | 6,959 | 13.1% |
| 2024 | 6,865 | 14.3% |
| 2025 | 6,842 | 16.3% |
What to check before buying a 2013 RAV4
On a 2013 RAV4, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (6.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.3% 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.
- Tyres (4.7% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
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 2013 Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT?
86.9% of the 34,474 2013 Toyota RAV4 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Toyota RAV4?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by brakes (5.3%).
Does the 2013 RAV4 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.2% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 34,474 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.