Chrysler
PT Cruiser
4,016 MOT tests analysed. runs below the UK fleet average — here's where PT Cruisers pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 12.1 points below the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — buyers should expect more first-time fails than the typical UK car.
Pass
65.4%
Pass-after-fix
5.1%
Fail
28.4%
Avg miles
87,741
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
Pt Cruiser: a below-average pass rate worth digging into
Across 3,322 MOT tests, the Pt Cruiser returns 65.3% first-time pass — well below the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is headlamp aim out of spec. A defective headlamp lens and worn suspension bushes round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 89,021, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 12–20
Below the fleet average — generally reasonable to insure. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.
Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →
12–20
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
308 occurrences · 7.7% of tests
- 02
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
214 occurrences · 5.3% of tests
- 03
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
154 occurrences · 3.8% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
130 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 05
Warning device shows system malfunction
127 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 06
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated
120 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 07
A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play
120 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 08
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
118 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
109 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
107 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.
Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures
£100–£400
If every one of this PT Cruiser's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →
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Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.
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Buying or keeping a PT Cruiser?
Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.
If you own a PT Cruiser and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.