MOT fail rates
DS DS3 MOT fail rate by age
How often the DS DS3 fails its MOT at each age, compared with all cars of the same age, and what it fails on. From 425,461 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 10 years, the most tested age
299 of 309 model groups with enough tests fail less often at 10 years.
What stands out
- At 3 years the DS DS3 fails 14.0% of MOTs (4,848 tests), 1.9 points above the 12.1% for all cars that age. At 15 years it fails 48.8% (3,419 tests), 7.2 points above the 41.6% average.
- The gap is widest at 10 years: 16.0 points above all cars.
- Its most common structural or mechanical fail item at 10 years: Coil spring broken, at 13 per 100 MOTs.
MOT fail rate by age
Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.
| Age | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars | Difference | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 14.0% | 4,848 | 12.1% | +1.9 pts | 19,886 miles |
| 4 years | 17.7% | 8,010 | 13.4% | +4.3 pts | 25,373 miles |
| 5 years | 22.4% | 14,684 | 15.3% | +7.1 pts | 31,418 miles |
| 6 years | 26.3% | 25,606 | 17.8% | +8.5 pts | 39,009 miles |
| 7 years | 33.4% | 38,538 | 20.6% | +12.8 pts | 46,903 miles |
| 8 years | 39.0% | 53,181 | 23.8% | +15.2 pts | 54,883 miles |
| 9 years | 42.6% | 64,157 | 27.1% | +15.5 pts | 62,711 miles |
| 10 years | 46.3% | 66,976 | 30.3% | +16.0 pts | 70,142 miles |
| 11 years | 48.3% | 60,742 | 33.3% | +15.1 pts | 77,046 miles |
| 12 years | 49.2% | 45,938 | 36.0% | +13.2 pts | 83,344 miles |
| 13 years | 49.9% | 26,988 | 38.3% | +11.6 pts | 89,098 miles |
| 14 years | 50.0% | 12,374 | 40.3% | +9.7 pts | 94,175 miles |
| 15 years | 48.8% | 3,419 | 41.6% | +7.2 pts | 98,329 miles |
Most common fail items at 10 years
Split into structural or mechanical items and wear items. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.
Structural and mechanical
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Coil spring broken Major | 13 |
| Driveshaft CV boot split Major | 12.5 |
| Steering track rod end: ball joint play Major | 6.1 |
| Exhaust system: system insecure Major | 3.7 |
| Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn Major | 3.2 |
Out of 66,976 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Wear and upkeep
| Fail item | Per 100 MOTs |
|---|---|
| Side/position light not working Major | 6.5 |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Dangerous | 5.1 |
| Dipped headlight not working Major | 4.7 |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Major | 3.1 |
| Wipers not clearing screen Major | 2.6 |
Out of 66,976 MOTs. A test with two faults counts twice.
Other models at 10 years
| Model | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS DS4 | 42.6% | 10,290 | 30.3% |
| Ford Fiesta | 35.6% | 464,662 | 30.3% |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 39.3% | 318,399 | 30.3% |
MOT fail rate by first-use year
Each year has its own page: the fail rate for cars first used that year at each MOT from 2022 to 2025 with at least 1,000 tests, the most common faults at that age, and the car tax and ULEZ rules for that year.
First-use year data updated .
| First used | Age at test | MOT fail rate | Tests (n) | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 15 years in 2025 | 48.7% | 3,418 | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 14 years in 2025 | 50.0% | 8,426 | 40.3% |
| 2012 | 13 years in 2025 | 50.2% | 13,544 | 38.3% |
| 2013 | 12 years in 2025 | 47.7% | 17,148 | 36.0% |
| 2014 | 11 years in 2025 | 47.0% | 17,435 | 33.3% |
| 2015 | 10 years in 2025 | 43.8% | 14,677 | 30.3% |
| 2016 | 9 years in 2025 | 38.0% | 11,788 | 27.1% |
| 2017 | 8 years in 2025 | 33.4% | 7,288 | 23.8% |
| 2018 | 7 years in 2025 | 30.0% | 3,474 | 20.6% |
| 2019 | 6 years in 2025 | 17.9% | 2,528 | 17.8% |
| 2020 | 5 years in 2025 | 20.7% | 1,205 | 15.3% |
More on the DS DS3
Looking at one DS DS3?
These are figures for the model, not for one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at a single car: its MOT tests, defects, advisories and mileage readings.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 22 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources