2004 Vauxhall Vectra — MOT failures & pass rate
13,165 MOT tests on the 2004 Vauxhall Vectra are in this dataset, and 68.7% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail 28.0% of the time, so this is 3.3pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.2%) and lighting & signalling (15.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, rigid brake pipes and coil spring — headlamp aim alone was recorded 1,139 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.4% versus 15.3%.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 31.0% of the time against 31.4% for petrol.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 41.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 32.5% in 2021 to 29.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.2% | 2,131 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.4% | 2,025 |
| 3 | Brakes | 15.0% | 1,972 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 926 |
| 5 | Visibility | 6.8% | 889 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.7% | 881 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 1,139 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 953 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 929 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 836 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 730 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 669 |
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 | 41.6% | 5,473 |
| 2 | Suspension | 40.3% | 5,309 |
| 3 | Tyres | 29.3% | 3,859 |
| 4 | Other defects | 26.9% | 3,544 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 21.2% | 2,786 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.2% | 2,268 |
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 | 72 | 15.3% |
| 30-60k | 847 | 22.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,514 | 29.7% |
| 90-120k | 3,873 | 31.8% |
| 120-150k | 3,130 | 32.8% |
| 150k+ | 2,696 | 33.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 9,007 | 31.4% |
| Diesel | 4,155 | 31.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,768 | 32.5% |
| 2022 | 3,259 | 31.2% |
| 2023 | 2,311 | 30.2% |
| 2024 | 1,654 | 30.7% |
| 2025 | 1,173 | 29.7% |
What to check before buying a 2004 Vectra
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (15.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (15.0% 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 2004 Vauxhall Vectras pass their MOT?
68.7% of the 13,165 2004 Vauxhall Vectra MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2004 Vauxhall Vectra?
Suspension, recorded in 16.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.4%).
Does the 2004 Vectra get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.3% in the 0-30k band to 33.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,165 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.