MOT failures by make

Subaru MOT faults: which failures are more common than on similar cars

Across 120,127 MOT tests of Subaru cars in 2023–2024, 3 of the make's most common failure items stand out against cars of the same age, mileage and fuel, led by “Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength” at 1.56× the comparable rate. Overall Subarus passed 73.5% of tests and failed 0.76× as often as comparable cars.

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Data to 2024-12-30 · Page updated 2026-09-28 · Publisher: 73 Auto

Subaru MOT tests: 120,127; 65,051 cars, 2023–2024
Initial pass rate: 73.5%; DVSA results, retests excluded
Faults that stand out: 3; passed the make × item gate

Failures more common on Subarus than on similar cars

Each links to the model-by-model and age breakdown for Subaru.

Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength · 1.56× · 1.89% of tests

Failures less common on Subarus

Common failure items where Subarus do clearly better than comparable cars, beyond the make's overall level.

Coil spring: fractured or broken · 0.46× · 1.20% of tests
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect · 0.53× · 1.26% of tests

Subaru’s most common MOT failure items

Ranked by how many Subaru tests failed on each item. The last column compares with cars of the same age, mileage and fuel (1.00 = the same rate).

Subaru: most common MOT failure items with observed ÷ expected
Defect item	Rank	Tests failing	Share	vs similar cars
Position lamp: not working	#1	4,276	3.56%	0.92×
Stop lamp: not working	#2	2,580	2.15%	0.76×
Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction	#3	2,270	1.89%	0.93×
Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength	#4	2,265	1.89%	1.56×
Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits	#5	2,199	1.83%	1.29×
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick	#6	2,166	1.80%	0.96×
Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively	#7	2,026	1.69%	0.68×
Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn	#8	1,877	1.56%	1.00×
Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases	#9	1,737	1.45%	0.94×
Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	#10	1,633	1.36%	0.74×
Ball joint: ball joint excessively worn	#11	1,618	1.35%	0.76×
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect	#12	1,508	1.26%	0.53×
Coil spring: fractured or broken	#13	1,446	1.20%	0.46×
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps	#14	1,407	1.17%	0.83×
Headlamp aim: too low	#15	1,353	1.13%	0.77×

Only the 150 most common national MOT failure items are compared; a rank counts every failure item recorded on the make.

How to use this

The list shows what a Subaru is more likely than other cars to fail on, which is where to look on a pre-MOT check or a used-car inspection. The model pages break the same data down further — see Subaru MOT pass rates by model.

Limitations

Official data: DVSA anonymised MOT results (2023–2024). 73 Auto analysis: expected failures apply the national rate of each item for the test's age, mileage band and fuel. MOT results reflect maintenance and use as well as design; they do not rank makes by reliability.

Check a Subaru’s MOT history before you buy

Enter a registration to see which of these faults that particular car has failed or been advised on, and what it costs to run. Your first check is free and shows the vehicle summary and its headline ownership cost. The category-by-category breakdown is part of a paid check.

UK number plate or 17-character VIN

Where these figures come from

Anonymised MOT tests and results (2023 and 2024) — Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Open Government Licence v3.0.

Figures labelled as 73 Auto estimates are our own analysis of these sources, set out in the methodology and data sources. To report a factual error, see corrections.