Common problems
Chevrolet Aveo common problems
What MOT testers find on the Chevrolet Aveo: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 36,812 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 13 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- Suspension fails show up on 23.5 of every 100 MOTs of a Chevrolet Aveo at 13 years old (n=7,792), against 14.9 for all cars of that age (n=6,612,160).
- The fail item testers record most often at 13 years: side/position light not working, on 9.1 per 100 MOTs (all cars 4.8).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge, on 19.0 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 13 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 23.5 | 14.9 | 33.9 | 27.9 |
| Lights and electrics | 22.5 | 17.0 | 11.2 | 10.8 |
| Brakes | 17.0 | 9.1 | 29.1 | 25.0 |
| Steering | 10.6 | 2.9 | 7.1 | 3.5 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 9.6 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| Tyres | 8.1 | 7.3 | 30.3 | 28.1 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 7.9 | 4.3 | 13.8 | 8.2 |
| Body and structure | 7.6 | 5.0 | 11.8 | 8.0 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 3.2 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.6 | 0.4 | 5.1 | 3.4 |
| Road wheels | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
What testers fail most on the Aveo at 13 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 9.1 | 4.8 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Steering track rod end: ball joint play | Steering | 8.2 | 1.9 | £54 to £128 per side (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm bush worn | Suspension | 7.3 | 2.0 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Brake light not working | Lights and electrics | 6.2 | 3.1 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 4.5 | 2.1 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Service brake performance: excessively binding | Brakes | 4.4 | 1.1 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Suspension ball joint worn | Suspension | 4.3 | 2.5 | £75 to £237 per side (rough guide) |
| Anti-roll bar link worn | Suspension | 4.2 | 1.3 | £33 to £102 per link (rough guide) |
| Dipped headlight not working | Lights and electrics | 3.8 | 2.2 | £18 to £86 per lamp |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body and structure | 3.6 | 1.2 | £182 to £263 per section |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 13 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 19.0 | 18.2 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 15.2 | 5.1 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 13.7 | 8.0 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 12.8 | 7.2 | |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 11.3 | 9.1 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Exhaust system: has a minor leak of exhaust gases | Body and structure | 8.6 | 3.1 | £182 to £263 per section |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | Lights and electrics | 7.8 | 5.2 | |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 5.6 | 10.6 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Service brake performance: binding but not excessively | Brakes | 5.2 | 2.0 | £55 to £267 per wheel (rough guide) |
| Macpherson strut pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 5.2 | 0.5 |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Suspension | Lights and electrics | Brakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 years | 1,529 | 25.2 | 12.5 | 3.5 |
| 10 years | 3,106 | 25.7 | 15.7 | 4.9 |
| 11 years | 4,331 | 26.2 | 17.3 | 9.5 |
| 12 years | 5,561 | 24.9 | 19.2 | 11.3 |
| 13 years | 7,792 | 23.5 | 22.5 | 17.0 |
| 14 years | 6,684 | 23.1 | 23.4 | 19.1 |
| 15 years | 4,811 | 23.7 | 26.6 | 19.5 |
| 16 years | 2,998 | 22.4 | 25.9 | 18.1 |
Mileage
At 13 years, Chevrolet Aveo cars showing 30,000 to 60,000 miles failed 46.0% of MOTs (n=2,446); the band that failed most, 90,000 to 120,000 miles, failed 58.3% (n=1,320). For pass and fail rates by age, see Chevrolet Aveo MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Chevrolet Aveo, testers most often record side/position light not working; steering track rod end: ball joint play; suspension arm bush worn. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Brakes
- On the test drive the car should stop in a straight line without pulling, juddering or grinding.
- Look at the discs through the wheels for a deep lip, heavy rust or scoring.
- Check that the handbrake or electronic parking brake holds the car on a slope.
- Ask when the pads, discs and brake fluid were last changed, and for the receipts.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Chevrolet Aveo?
At 13 years, the age with the most MOT tests (7,792), the fail items testers record most often on the Chevrolet Aveo are side/position light not working (9.1 per 100 MOTs), steering track rod end: ball joint play (8.2 per 100 MOTs), suspension arm bush worn (7.3 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (19.0) and rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material (15.2).
Which parts of the Chevrolet Aveo fail more often than on other cars?
At 13 years: suspension (23.5 per 100 MOTs against 14.9 for all cars); brakes (17.0 per 100 MOTs against 9.1 for all cars); steering (10.6 per 100 MOTs against 2.9 for all cars). Compared with 6,612,160 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Chevrolet Aveo problems by area
More on the Chevrolet Aveo
Other Chevrolet models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Chevrolet Aveo?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
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 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources