2005 Toyota Surf — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2005 Toyota Surf passed 74.9% of its 447 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail 27.6% of the time, so this is 2.5pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.7%) and brakes (11.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are service brake performance, rear fog lamp and ball joint — service brake performance alone was recorded 34 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2005 Surf fails 25.6% of the time in the 90-120k band and 22.8% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.9 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 46.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.0% in 2021 to 21.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 61 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.6% | 52 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.2% | 50 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.4% | 42 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.3% | 19 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.8% | 17 |
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 | 34 |
| 2 | Rear fog lamp | 30 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 24 |
| 4 | Service brake imbalance | 21 |
| 5 | Joints | 19 |
| 6 | Wipers | 19 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 46.5% | 208 |
| 2 | Tyres | 21.9% | 98 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 21.5% | 96 |
| 4 | Brakes | 19.7% | 88 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 19.0% | 85 |
| 6 | Other defects | 15.0% | 67 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 90-120k | 39 | 25.6% |
| 120-150k | 75 | 30.7% |
| 150k+ | 312 | 22.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 124 | 29.0% |
| 2022 | 111 | 27.0% |
| 2023 | 97 | 24.7% |
| 2024 | 64 | 17.2% |
| 2025 | 51 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2005 Surf
On a 2005 Surf, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.6% 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.
- Suspension (11.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
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 2005 Toyota Surfs pass their MOT?
74.9% of the 447 2005 Toyota Surf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Toyota Surf?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.7% of tests, followed by brakes (11.6%).
Does the 2005 Surf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 25.6% in the 90-120k band to 22.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 447 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.