Porsche 911 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 52,620 initial MOT tests on the Porsche 911 in Great Britain, and 89.1% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Porsche 911 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 52,620
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 89.1%
Failed at firstIncluding 1.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 10.9%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 2.2%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 15,207 off the road (SORN): 58,777

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the 911 fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
4.3%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Tyres
2.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
3Noise, emissions and leaks
1.8%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
4Brakes
1.8%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
5Suspension
1.5%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
6Visibility
1.4%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Body, chassis and structure
1.4%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
8Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%
9Steering
0.4%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
10Seat belts and airbags
0.3%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks1.7%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics1.7%
ConditionTyres1.6%
Position lampsLamps and electrics0.9%
WashersVisibility0.9%
TransmissionBody and structure0.9%
Brake performanceBrakes0.8%
HeadlampsLamps and electrics0.8%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2022	2,570	95.4%	1.3%
2021	1,687	97.0%	0.5%
2020	1,501	95.7%	2.0%
2019	2,299	94.7%	2.4%
2018	2,149	94.6%	1.9%
2017	1,883	93.5%	2.0%
2016	1,704	94.0%	1.9%
2015	1,734	94.4%	1.6%
2014	1,531	93.5%	1.6%
2013	1,276	95.1%	1.4%
2012	1,543	93.4%	1.4%
2011	1,307	91.5%	2.0%
2010	1,722	90.5%	2.0%
2009	1,468	89.9%	2.2%
2008	1,808	89.3%	2.7%
2007	2,425	87.3%	2.4%
2006	2,701	86.7%	2.7%
2005	2,751	86.1%	2.4%
2004	2,426	84.4%	3.0%
2003	2,526	81.1%	3.4%
2002	2,328	80.3%	3.4%
2001	1,457	82.9%	3.2%
2000	905	80.2%	3.6%

Mileage

911 mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	8,500 miles	1,778
3 years	10,700 miles	1,987
4 years	15,900 miles	1,515
5 years	20,200 miles	1,972
6 years	21,400 miles	1,822
7 years	21,700 miles	2,318
8 years	29,000 miles	1,661
9 years	31,400 miles	1,719
10 years	34,400 miles	1,706
11 years	38,300 miles	1,373
12 years	48,000 miles	1,386
13 years	46,900 miles	1,434
14 years	46,000 miles	1,495
15 years	54,900 miles	1,647
16 years	60,600 miles	1,538
17 years	57,900 miles	2,059
18 years	64,300 miles	2,584
19 years	70,600 miles	2,702
20 years	73,500 miles	2,718
21 years	74,100 miles	2,345
22 years	80,100 miles	2,509
23 years	86,100 miles	1,916
24 years	86,700 miles	1,133
25 years	92,900 miles	1,092

Checking a particular 911?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Porsche 911: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Porsche 911?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Porsche 911 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 4.3% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came tyres (2.2%) and noise, emissions and leaks (1.8%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Porsche 911?

89.1% of 52,620 initial MOT tests on the Porsche 911 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 1.7% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Porsche 911 is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 2.2% of initial tests on the Porsche 911 found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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