Common problems
Lexus CT common problems
What MOT testers find on the Lexus CT: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 123,489 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 11 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- No part area of the Lexus CT fails more than 1 point per 100 MOTs above all cars at 11 years old (n=15,519; all cars n=8,087,514).
- Suspension fails are less common: 2.0 per 100 MOTs against 11.6 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 11 years: dipped headlight not working, on 3.3 per 100 MOTs (all cars 1.9).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge, on 11.7 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 8.6 | 13.3 | 5.2 | 7.5 |
| Tyres | 6.1 | 7.0 | 23.3 | 27.2 |
| Brakes | 4.2 | 7.3 | 18.2 | 22.8 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 3.3 | 4.8 | 3.8 | 4.1 |
| Suspension | 2.0 | 11.6 | 9.6 | 21.6 |
| Body and structure | 0.7 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 5.1 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.5 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 5.3 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.3 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Road wheels | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| Steering | 0.2 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 2.8 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
What testers fail most on the CT at 11 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dipped headlight not working | Lights and electrics | 3.3 | 1.9 | £18 to £86 per lamp |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps | Lights and electrics | 2.2 | 1.5 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.0 | 1.9 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm | Brakes | 1.8 | 2.1 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 1.6 | 2.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.5 | 1.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre with cords exposed | Tyres | 1.0 | 1.6 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | Tyres | 0.9 | 0.7 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Handbrake too weak | Brakes | 0.9 | 1.2 | |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 0.8 | 1.4 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 11 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 | 11.7 | 17.6 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 8.5 | 8.7 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 8.2 | 7.8 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 7.0 | 10.0 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 4.2 | 6.6 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | Lights and electrics | 3.8 | 3.9 | |
| Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 3.4 | 1.2 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread | Number plates and VIN | 3.0 | 2.3 | £23 to £63 per plate (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively | Brakes | 3.0 | 2.6 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.2 | 2.6 |
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) | Lights and electrics | Tyres | Brakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 3,538 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.5 |
| 4 years | 6,301 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 0.9 |
| 5 years | 8,946 | 2.2 | 3.9 | 1.1 |
| 6 years | 10,677 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.5 |
| 7 years | 12,259 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 2.0 |
| 8 years | 13,329 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 2.5 |
| 9 years | 14,033 | 6.7 | 5.6 | 3.2 |
| 10 years | 15,318 | 7.3 | 5.6 | 3.6 |
| 11 years | 15,519 | 8.6 | 6.1 | 4.2 |
| 12 years | 11,736 | 10.0 | 5.6 | 4.6 |
| 13 years | 8,026 | 10.3 | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| 14 years | 3,807 | 9.7 | 5.6 | 4.6 |
Mileage
At 11 years, Lexus CT cars showing 30,000 to 60,000 miles failed 13.4% of MOTs (n=2,989); the band that failed most, 90,000 to 120,000 miles, failed 22.9% (n=3,764). For pass and fail rates by age, see Lexus CT MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Lexus CT, testers most often record dipped headlight not working; registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps; wipers not clearing screen. Look at these first, then the areas below.
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.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
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 Lexus CT?
At 11 years, the age with the most MOT tests (15,519), the fail items testers record most often on the Lexus CT are dipped headlight not working (3.3 per 100 MOTs), registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (2.2 per 100 MOTs), wipers not clearing screen (2.0 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11.7) and tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (8.5).
Which parts of the Lexus CT fail more often than on other cars?
None by more than 1 point per 100 MOTs at 11 years, compared with 8,087,514 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Lexus CT problems by area
More on the Lexus CT
Other Lexus models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Lexus CT?
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.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
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