MOT failure data · 2025

Mitsubishi Lancer MOT problems

Across every Mitsubishi Lancer that failed its 2025 MOT, the defect testers recorded most often was track rod end ball joint has excessive play, on 5.78% of failure items. The broadest problem area was suspension at 25.49%. These are recorded defects across the model, not a diagnosis of any one car.

Most common Mitsubishi Lancer MOT failures

#	Recorded defect	Area	Share
1	Track rod end ball joint has excessive play	Steering	5.78%
2	Position lamp not working	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	5.42%
3	Ball joint ball joint excessively worn	Suspension	4.24%
4	Rigid brake pipes excessively corroded	Brakes	4.03%
5	Pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn	Suspension	3.35%
6	Stop lamp not working	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	2.85%
7	Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength	Suspension	2.56%
8	Tread depth tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm	Tyres	2.56%
9	Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	2.54%
10	Wipers does not clear the windscreen effectively	Visibility	2.49%

Shares are of all recorded failure items for this model, so they sum to less than 100% — a single failed test often records several defects, and the long tail below the top 10 is not shown.

What this means if you are buying one

Use it as a viewing checklist. If you are looking at a Mitsubishi Lancer, these are the areas worth inspecting and worth asking about — and worth reading the car's own MOT history for, since a defect that keeps reappearing as an advisory is a better signal than any model-wide average.

The MOT record also has hard limits: it does not check the engine, clutch or gearbox, and it says nothing about outstanding finance, insurance write-off history, stolen markers or whether the mileage is genuine. Our used Mitsubishi Lancer buying guide covers what to check beyond the MOT.

Checking a specific Mitsubishi Lancer?

Enter its registration for finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history.

Other Mitsubishi models

Mitsubishi Lancer MOT FAQs

What does a Mitsubishi Lancer most commonly fail its MOT on?

The single most recorded defect on Mitsubishi Lancer cars failing their 2025 MOT was "track rod end ball joint has excessive play", appearing on 5.78% of failure items.

Does this mean my Mitsubishi Lancer will fail?

No. This is what testers recorded across every Mitsubishi Lancer that failed in 2025. It shows where this model tends to need attention, not the condition of any individual car. The Mitsubishi Lancer passed 73.35% of its initial tests.

How do I see a specific Mitsubishi Lancer's MOT history?

Enter its registration on our free MOT history check to see that car's own test results, advisories and recorded mileages.

Defect counts from the DVSA MOT Anonymised test-item data for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, failure items only — advisories and minor defects excluded), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.