Pass rate, every year
76.9% Around average
4,699 tests across 14 model years, 2000–2018.
−4.1 pts vs the national average
Mitsubishi Pajero MOT Pass Rate & Official DVSA Failure Statistics
Best year to buy
2017 89.4%
The strongest of the 14 years on record. See the 2017 page →
Worst year to buy
2007 73.6%
15.8 points below the 2017 peak. See the 2007 page →
The Mitsubishi Pajero MOT pass rate is 76.9%, −4.1 percentage points below the UK average. That is 4,699 DVSA MOT tests recorded between 2000 and 2018. This page lists the most common Mitsubishi Pajero MOT failures by category, names the best and worst model years, and finishes with a pre-MOT checklist you can run at home.
Check your postcode
MOT pass rates are national — type your postcode to see how Mitsubishi Pajero MOT pass rates does in your corner of the country.
Mitsubishi Pajero MOT History and Failure Rates vs UK National Average
The Mitsubishi Pajero passed on its first attempt in 72.6%, and its overall record sits −4.1 percentage points below the national average for all cars. These figures come from every recorded DVSA MOT test for the Mitsubishi Pajero in the 2023–2025 data: 4,699 tests across 14 model years (2000–2018). A test still carries exactly one pass or fail verdict.
| Measure | This model |
|---|---|
| Tests analysed | 4,699 |
| Overall pass rate | 76.9% |
| Passed on first attempt | 72.6% |
| Average mileage at test | 126,356 mi |
| Model years covered | 2000–2018 (14 years) |
| Versus UK national average | −4.1 pts below |
Figures are computed from every recorded DVSA test for this model in the 2023–2025 data.
Most Common Mitsubishi Pajero MOT Problems by Failure Category
Every MOT failure a tester records belongs to one inspection section of the DVSA manual. For the Mitsubishi Pajero, the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section leads the record — the breakdown below shows where the recorded failures cluster, then the exact strings behind the three biggest sections.
| Inspection section | Share of failures |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 31% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 25% |
| Suspension | 13% |
| Visibility | 9% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 8% |
| Steering | 7% |
| Brakes | 6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 1% |
Shares are over the Mitsubishi Pajero's recorded defect strings, merged across its year pages.
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
Around 31% of the recorded Mitsubishi Pajero failures fall in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (6.8%), "Rear fog lamp not working" (4.0%), "Battery(ies) insecure but not likely to fall from carrier" (1.0%) among the Mitsubishi Pajero's lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment faults.
Body, chassis, structure
Around 25% of the recorded Mitsubishi Pajero failures fall in the Body, chassis, structure section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (4.3%), "Chassis condition or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting" (3.3%), "Exhaust system has a major leak of exhaust gases" (1.6%) among the Mitsubishi Pajero's body, chassis, structure faults.
Suspension
Around 13% of the recorded Mitsubishi Pajero failures fall in the Suspension section of the MOT inspection manual. Testers recorded "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (3.0%), "Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength" (1.5%), "Ball joint excessively worn" (0.3%) among the Mitsubishi Pajero's suspension faults.
Top Recorded Mitsubishi Pajero DVSA MOT Test Statistics & Defect Descriptions
The descriptions below are the exact DVSA failure strings testers recorded most often for the Mitsubishi Pajero, each with how many of the model's 4,699 tests it was noted on.
- "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" (Minor) — noted on about 320 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 6.8% of the model's MOT record.
- "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 200 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 4.3% of the model's MOT record.
- "Rear fog lamp not working" (Major) — noted on about 186 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 4.0% of the model's MOT record.
- "Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view" (Minor) — noted on about 165 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 3.5% of the model's MOT record.
- "Chassis condition or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting" (Major) — noted on about 153 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 3.3% of the model's MOT record.
- "Ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated" (Minor) — noted on about 139 Mitsubishi Pajero tests, 3.0% of the model's MOT record.
Best and Worst Mitsubishi Pajero Model Years by Pass Rate
The strongest Mitsubishi Pajero model year on record is 2017 (89.4% across 66 tests), and the weakest is 2007 (73.6%). The gap between them is 15.8 points. Years with fewer than 50 recorded tests are excluded, so these are the years with enough MOT history to mean something.
Mitsubishi Pajero reliability is improving in the DVSA data — the pass rate moves about 3.0 points a year across the most recent model years shown above.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Pajero | 70 | 84.3% |
| 2017 Pajero | 66 | 89.4% |
| 2016 Pajero | 84 | 88.1% |
| 2014 Pajero | 58 | 79.3% |
| 2011 Pajero | 51 | 74.5% |
| 2008 Pajero | 115 | 73.9% |
| 2007 Pajero | 231 | 73.6% |
| 2006 Pajero | 499 | 76.8% |
| 2005 Pajero | 908 | 78.2% |
| 2004 Pajero | 1,004 | 76.5% |
| 2003 Pajero | 719 | 77.2% |
| 2002 Pajero | 383 | 74.4% |
| 2001 Pajero | 293 | 73.7% |
| 2000 Pajero | 218 | 76.1% |
Newest model year first. Only years with at least 50 recorded tests are listed.
Pre-MOT Inspection Checklist for Mitsubishi Pajero Owners
These checks follow this Mitsubishi Pajero's own most-recorded failure strings, starting with what a tester is most likely to flag on a Mitsubishi Pajero.
-
the lights — “registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources”
Switch everything on and walk round the car: both headlamps on dip and main, every indicator, both brake lights, reverse, fog and the two number-plate lamps. A bulb is a few pounds and a five-minute job.
-
the windscreen — “windscreen damaged”
Check the driver’s side of the screen within the swept area for chips and cracks; anything larger than 10mm in the driver’s central view is a fail. Most chips can be resin-repaired for far less than a new screen.
-
corrosion — “chassis condition or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting”
Look under the sills, around the jacking points and where the suspension mounts meet the body. Flaking, holed or crumbly metal fails; a brown stain on sound metal does not.
Derived from the DVSA failure strings testers recorded for the Mitsubishi Pajero. A check that finds nothing means the item is likely fine, not that the test is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions: Mitsubishi Pajero MOT & Reliability
What is the Mitsubishi Pajero MOT pass rate?
76.9% of the 4,699 recorded Mitsubishi Pajero MOT tests ended in a pass, −4.1 percentage points below the national average. 72.6% of those passed on the first attempt.
Which Mitsubishi Pajero model years pass the MOT most often?
2017 is the strongest Mitsubishi Pajero year on record at 89.4%, while 2007 is the weakest at 73.6%. The year-by-year table below lists every model year with at least 50 recorded tests.
What are the most common Mitsubishi Pajero MOT failures?
The most recorded Mitsubishi Pajero failures are "Registration plate lamp(s) inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources" and "Joints constant velocity boot severely deteriorated" — together around 11% of tests, mostly in the Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment section.