The picture
D-Max: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 37,528 MOT tests, the D-Max returns 77.2% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a worn shock-absorber bush. Windscreen damage and a number-plate lamp out round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 71,638, 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.
Top ten reasons for rejection.
- 01
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
1,903 occurrences · 5.1% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
1,160 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
1,149 occurrences · 3.1% of tests
- 04
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
1,126 occurrences · 3.0% of tests
- 05
An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
996 occurrences · 2.7% of tests
- 06
Exhaust system leaking or insecure
906 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
- 07
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
796 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 08
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
769 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 09
Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
748 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
733 occurrences · 2.0% 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 2 failures
£48–£125
If every one of this D Max'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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Tools that pre-empt a retest.
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.
Owner reports · Honest John
What owners actually report.
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
Where it falls short
"Does my car have a timing chain or a cambelt?" It is the £3000 question every car owner eventually asks. Whether you are driving a high-mileage diesel or a modern downsized hybrid, knowing what's fitted to your engine is the difference between a routine service and a catastrophic engine failure.
Buying or keeping a D Max?
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 D Max 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.