2009 Vauxhall Insignia — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2009 Vauxhall Insignia passed 74.9% of its 78,519 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (24.8% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (12.7%) and lighting & signalling (10.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, coil spring and shock absorbers — tread depth alone was recorded 4,463 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 16.5% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.2% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 25.0% of the time against 25.3% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 32.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 24.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.7% | 10,007 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 7,863 |
| 3 | Brakes | 8.1% | 6,354 |
| 4 | Tyres | 7.2% | 5,665 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.4% | 4,243 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 3,354 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 4,463 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 4,127 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 3,945 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 3,806 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 2,717 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 2,533 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 32.3% | 25,391 |
| 2 | Suspension | 31.0% | 24,354 |
| 3 | Brakes | 23.4% | 18,378 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 19.9% | 15,633 |
| 5 | Other defects | 15.2% | 11,957 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 10.0% | 7,838 |
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 | 485 | 16.5% |
| 30-60k | 3,718 | 18.8% |
| 60-90k | 16,079 | 22.6% |
| 90-120k | 27,132 | 25.5% |
| 120-150k | 19,621 | 26.6% |
| 150k+ | 11,180 | 27.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 45,380 | 25.0% |
| Petrol | 33,137 | 25.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23,181 | 24.0% |
| 2022 | 19,410 | 24.8% |
| 2023 | 15,757 | 25.7% |
| 2024 | 11,844 | 26.6% |
| 2025 | 8,327 | 25.9% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Insignia
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 12.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (12.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (10.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (8.1% 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 2009 Vauxhall Insignias pass their MOT?
74.9% of the 78,519 2009 Vauxhall Insignia MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Vauxhall Insignia?
Suspension, recorded in 12.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (10.0%).
Does the 2009 Insignia get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.5% in the 0-30k band to 27.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 78,519 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.