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1989 Toyota Surf. MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for Surf. models manufactured in 1989, based on 52 real MOT test results.

57.7%
Pass Rate
42.3%
Fail Rate
52
Total Tests
186,796
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

1989 Toyota Surf. MOT Analysis

The 1989 Toyota Surf. has an MOT pass rate of 57.7% based on 52 tests — slightly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 186,796 miles on the odometer. With a 42.3% failure rate, the 1989 Surf. is rated as "Below Average" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 1989 Toyota Surf. is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment, responsible for 3.8% of failures. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs range from £5–50. Non-component advisories is the second most common issue at 1.9%. Steering follows at 1.9%.

⚠ Based on limited data (52 tests)

Top failures specific to 1989 models only. The overall Surf. page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

Non-component advisories 1.9%
Steering 1.9%

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment3.8%2
2Non-component Advisories1.9%1
3Steering1.9%1
4Visibility1.9%1
5Brakes1.9%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 186,796 mi

For every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.

Lamps & Electrical0.21% per 10K miNon-component advisories0.10% per 10K miSteering0.10% per 10K miVisibility0.10% per 10K miBrakes0.10% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Lamps & Electrical0.213.8%2
Non-component advisories0.101.9%1
Steering0.101.9%1
Visibility0.101.9%1
Brakes0.101.9%1

Mileage Statistics

186,796
Mean
201,425
Median
177,321
25th Percentile
214,550
75th Percentile
2.26% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate — accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 1989 Toyota Surf. has an MOT pass rate of 57.7% based on 52 tests — slightly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 186,796 miles on the odometer. With a 42.3% failure rate, the 1989 Surf. is rated as "Below Average" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 1989 Toyota Surf., budget for potential repairs before each MOT. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test. With an average mileage of 186,796 miles, these vehicles are in the higher-mileage bracket where wear-related failures become more common.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 3.8% of failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 3.8% of MOT failures on 1989 Toyota Surf. models. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.

Non-component advisories — 1.9% of failures

Non-component advisories issues account for 1.9% of MOT failures on 1989 Toyota Surf. models. Non-component advisories issues are a common cause of MOT failure. Regular inspection and maintenance of these components helps ensure your vehicle passes its MOT. Typical repair costs: £100–400. Pre-MOT check: Have this system checked during regular servicing. Look for warning signs like unusual noises, vibrations, or dashboard warning lights.

Steering — 1.9% of failures

Steering issues account for 1.9% of MOT failures on 1989 Toyota Surf. models. Steering failures include excessive play in the steering wheel, leaking power steering fluid, worn track rod ends, and damaged steering rack. These affect vehicle control and are closely related to suspension wear. Typical repair costs: £150–600. Pre-MOT check: Check for excessive steering wheel play (more than a few inches of free movement). Listen for whining from the power steering pump. Look for fluid leaks under the car near the front wheels.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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