MOT data by first-use year
2004 Subaru Forester: MOT fail rate and common problems
DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 1,039 MOT tests · Updated
38.3% of 2004 Subaru Forester cars failed their MOT at 18 years; measured against vehicles the same age and test year, about the same as the 2005 cars (1,039 MOT tests) [1].
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Engine, fuel and mileage decide where one vehicle sits within these figures. Check the reg first.
Figures are for 2004 Subaru Forester cars as a group, not for one car.
- Fail rate at 18 years (2022)
- 38.3%
- vs 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022
- 1,039 MOT tests
- Gap to all class 4, same age and year
- −6.1 pts
- at 18 years
- 1,039 MOT tests
- Against the 2005 cars
- −0.6 pts
- 95% range −4.6 to +3.5 pts, same ages, each against its own test year
- 1,039 MOT tests
- MOT tests of 2004 cars
- 1,039
- tested 2022, 1 age with 1,000+ tests
- 1,039 MOT tests
About the same as the 2005 cars: −0.6 points at age 18, each year against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year; 95% range −4.6 to +3.5, from 1,039 MOT tests of 2004 cars and 1,162 of the 2005 cars. Not adjusted for mileage.
Every Subaru Forester year against all class 4 vehicles the same age
2004 Subaru Forester fail rate at each MOT
2004 Subaru Forester cars had one MOT age with at least 1,000 tests in the data: 18 years, in 2022.
| Test year | Age | Fail rate | 95% range | MOT tests | All class 4, same age and year | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 18 years | 38.3% | 35.4%–41.3% | 1,039 | 44.4% | −6.1 pts |
All class 4: every class 4 vehicle (cars and light vans) tested at that age in the same test year.
2004 against the 2005 cars, age by age
| Age | 2004 | Years either side |
|---|---|---|
| 18 years | 38.3% 1,039 MOT tests, tested 2022 | 2005: 37.8% (1,162, tested 2023) |
Each year was tested in a different calendar year; the verdict compares each against all class 4 vehicles the same age tested in its own year.
What fails on a Subaru Forester at 18 years
All Subaru Forester MOTs at 18 years, cars first used 2004–2007 (3,894 MOT tests; DVSA item counts are not split by first-use year). The most common fail items: engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault (6.2 per 100 MOT tests), side/position light not working (6.1 per 100 MOT tests, a wear item) and component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.1 per 100 MOT tests).
No item fails at a clearly different rate from all class 4 vehicles the same age across 3 or more ages.
Mileage and the fail rate at 18 years
Subaru Forester cars first used 2004–2007 at 120,000 to 150,000 miles failed 41.1% of MOTs at 18 years (1,034 MOT tests), against 38.3% at 90,000 to 120,000 miles (1,107 MOT tests). All class 4 vehicles: 47.5% and 46.3%.
Road tax for a 2004 Subaru Forester
The Vehicle Certification Agency lists 9 petrol versions of the Subaru Forester in its data from May 2003 to May 2005, from 200 to 261 g/km CO2 [3]. A car first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 is taxed by CO2 band, so that is bands J and K: from £410 to £445 a year at the 2026/27 rates [2].
| Band | 12 months | CO2 g/km | Versions listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| J | £410 | 200 | 1 |
| K | £445 | 204–261 | 8 |
Versions listed, not cars sold: this does not say how common each band is. The CO2 figure on the car's V5C log book decides its band. Car tax calculator for a 2004 car
Car tax and ULEZ for a 2004 car
A car first registered in the UK in 2004 was issued a 53 (January–February), 04 (March–August) or 54 (September–December) plate, unless it was registered in Northern Ireland (no age identifier) or has since moved to a private plate. An imported one is plated when first registered here, so its plate can be newer than its first-use year. 04 plates
A 2004 car is taxed by its CO2 emissions band (A to M), shown on the V5C logbook. [2]
For the London ULEZ, a 2004 petrol may or may not meet Euro 4, and a 2004 diesel usually does not meet Euro 6. The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. Hybrids follow the rule for their petrol or diesel engine. [4] ULEZ checker
Buying a Subaru Forester? Check that exact car before the viewing.
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- Model risks for this year and fuel
- What similar cars did at their next MOT
- Repairs ahead
- Viewing checklist
Questions people ask
What is the MOT fail rate of a 2004 Subaru Forester?
38.3% at 18 years (tested 2022), from 1,039 MOT tests, against 44.4% for all class 4 vehicles tested at 18 years in 2022.
Does the 2004 Subaru Forester fail more MOTs than the 2005?
0.6 percentage points apart at age 18, each against all class 4 vehicles the same age and test year, from 1,039 MOT tests (95% range −4.6 to +3.5), so about the same.
At what ages were 2004 Subaru Forester cars MOT tested in the data?
1 age with at least 1,000 MOT tests: 18 years, tested 2022, 1,039 MOT tests in all.
What fails most on a Subaru Forester at 18 years?
6.2 in 100 MOT tests failed on engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault, the most common fail item. From 3,894 MOT tests of Subaru Forester cars first used 2004–2007, not only 2004.
Sources
- Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 1,039 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
- GOV.UK, Vehicle tax rates. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
- Vehicle Certification Agency, Car fuel and emissions data. VCA data, Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Transport for London, Ultra Low Emission Zone. Rules, not drawn from the MOT data.
Cars tested at 18 years are compared with every class 4 vehicle tested at 18 years in the same test year. These rates are not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare