7.8%fail rate

Porsche 959 common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Porsche 959 fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 141 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 7.8% of MOT tests recorded on the Porsche 959 in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is lamps & electrical, which makes up 27.3% of the Porsche 959's failures, followed by lamps & electrical, visibility/wipers, suspension, brakes. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Lamps & electrical27.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Visibility/wipers27.3% of failures

Visibility failures include torn or smearing wiper blades, a washer jet that does not reach the screen, and chips or cracks in the driver's swept area. Blades and washer fluid are quick, cheap fixes.

Suspension18.2% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Brakes18.2% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Tyres9.1% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Exhaust & emissions9.1% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the lamps & electrical failure: Porsche 959 headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate

For the visibility/wipers failure: Porsche 959 wiper bladesSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 wiper bladesaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 wiper blades on eBayaffiliate

For the suspension failure: Porsche 959 suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate

For the brakes failure: Porsche 959 brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 brake pads and discsaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate

For the tyres failure: Porsche 959 tyresSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 tyresaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 tyres on eBayaffiliate

For the exhaust & emissions failure: Porsche 959 exhaustSearch Amazon for Porsche 959 exhaustaffiliate search Find Porsche 959 exhaust on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Porsche 911 MOT failures14.7% failure rate Porsche Boxster MOT failures17.2% failure rate Porsche Cayenne MOT failures15.4% failure rate Ford Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data · DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain