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Toyota Avensis steering problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 23,744 MOT tests · Updated

At 15 years, 1.2 in 100 MOT tests of the Toyota Avensis failed on steering, against 3.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 23,744 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: fails less often than all class 4 vehicles the same age (0.3–0.4×) (all test years), 275 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 22 ages from 4 to 25 years, 270,911 MOT tests
  • MOT tests at 15 years: 23,744 for the Toyota Avensis

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

1.2 fails per 100 MOT tests at 15 years, against 3.3 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 15 (all test years). The Toyota Avensis fails less often here.

Why it matters

A steering fail stops the car passing until it is fixed.

What to check

With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock: listen for knocks or groans and feel for play at the straight-ahead position. On the drive the car should not wander.

Toyota Avensis steering fails by age

Toyota Avensis steering fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Toyota Avensis. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.0244 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.2), 1,231 MOT tests45 years: 0.1 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 3,786 MOT tests6 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 7,536 MOT tests67 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.8), 11,017 MOT tests8 years: 0.8 per 100 (all cars 1.2), 12,963 MOT tests89 years: 1.0 per 100 (all cars 1.8), 13,599 MOT tests10 years: 1.1 per 100 (all cars 2.1), 15,078 MOT tests1011 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 2.5), 16,609 MOT tests12 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 2.8), 19,365 MOT tests1213 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 21,590 MOT tests14 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 22,560 MOT tests1415 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 3.3), 23,744 MOT tests16 years: 1.1 per 100 (all cars 3.4), 23,032 MOT tests1617 years: 1.1 per 100 (all cars 3.6), 20,974 MOT tests18 years: 1.1 per 100 (all cars 3.9), 17,800 MOT tests1819 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 4.1), 13,949 MOT tests20 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 4.2), 9,684 MOT tests2021 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 4.2), 6,362 MOT tests22 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 4.0), 4,156 MOT tests2223 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 3.9), 2,665 MOT tests24 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 3.7), 2,047 MOT tests2425 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 3.7), 1,164 MOT tests
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Toyota Avensis All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
41,2310.30.2
53,7860.10.3
67,5360.30.5
711,0170.50.8
812,9630.81.2
913,5991.01.8
1015,0781.12.1
1116,6091.32.5
1219,3651.22.8
1321,5901.22.9
1422,5601.43.2
1523,7441.23.3
1623,0321.13.4
1720,9741.13.6
1817,8001.13.9
19*13,9491.44.1
20*9,6841.24.2
21*6,3621.44.2
22*4,1561.24.0
23*2,6651.43.9
24*2,0471.43.7
25*1,1640.53.7

All first-use years of the Toyota Avensis pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the steering at 15 years

Advisories (not fails)

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
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By engine and fuel

  • 1.8 petrol: 1.0 per 100 at 15 years, fails less often than petrol class 4 vehicles the same age (0.3–0.4×) (all test years; 10,020 MOT tests)
  • 2.0 diesel: 1.5 per 100 at 15 years, fails less often than diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (0.3–0.5×) (all test years; 7,329 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

With the engine running, turn the wheel lock to lock: listen for knocks or groans and feel for play at the straight-ahead position. On the drive the car should not wander.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Track rod end: ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt.

Check one Toyota Avensis, not the average

The figures here describe Toyota Avensis cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Toyota Avensis problems

Steering on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Toyota Avensis have more steering problems than other cars?

0.3 to 0.4 times the steering fail rate of all class 4 vehicles the same age at 15 years (all test years), from 23,744 MOT tests. The interval is clear of 0.8 in the same direction at 10 of the 22 ages seen (ages up to 18 with at least 100 MOT tests with a fail).

How common are Toyota Avensis steering problems?

1.2 in 100 MOT tests at 15 years failed on steering, against 3.3 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 23,744 MOT tests).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 270,911 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare