Model Reports 8 min read Updated 12 Jul 2026

Toyota Yaris 2016: reliability & common MOT faults

Elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2016 Toyota Yaris include Wheel bearings (rear) (~21.3× peers) and Side repeaters (front) (~7.9× peers). Based on UK DVSA open data for test year 2025 (5,424 failed first-attempt tests), compared with similar age and mileage peers. Available test years: 2024, 2025.

5,424 failed first-attempt tests · 27,852 first tests (test year 2025)

Standout pattern: Wheel bearings (rear) — about 21.3× more often than on similar peer cars.

Key takeaways before you buy

  • Wheel bearings (rear): about 21.3× more often than similar cars
  • Side repeaters (front): about 7.9× more often than similar cars
  • Side repeaters: about 7.3× more often than similar cars

Common faults

These are MOT failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age band, and mileage in the same test year (leave-one-out peer comparison; whole model family excluded).

Statistical patterns from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer TSBs, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Fail and advisory patterns are kept separate.

Based on 5,424 failed first-attempt tests in test year 2025.

Wheel bearings (rear)

This failure pattern appears about 21.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 292 failed first-attempt tests; 5.4% of failed tests for this model year.

Rear · 292 failures · ×21.3 vs similar cars · 5.4% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Side repeaters (front)

This failure pattern appears about 7.9× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 183 failed first-attempt tests; 3.4% of failed tests for this model year.

Front · 183 failures · ×7.9 vs similar cars · 3.4% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

Side repeaters

This failure pattern appears about 7.3× more often than on similar peer cars — recorded on 497 failed first-attempt tests; 9.2% of failed tests for this model year.

Any · 497 failures · ×7.3 vs similar cars · 9.2% of failed first tests · Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars

# Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Wheel bearings (rear)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Rear 292 ×21.3 5.4% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
2 Side repeaters (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
 Front 183 ×7.9 3.4% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
3 Side repeaters
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Direction indicators > Flashing type > Side repeaters
 Any 497 ×7.3 9.2% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
4 Headlamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamps > Headlamp
 Front 278 ×2.1 5.1% Possible elevated fault
5 Headlamp
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamps > Headlamp
 Any 269 ×2.1 5.0% Possible elevated fault

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and 2.0× peer lift).

Wear patterns

These patterns look like wear or usage effects rather than model-specific design faults. Tyres, brake friction material, and alignment-related defects often track mileage and road use. They are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

# Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
1 Headlamp aim not tested
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamp aim > Headlamp aim not tested
 Any 49 ×2.4 0.9% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault
2 Headlamp aim not tested (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamp aim > Headlamp aim not tested
 Front 34 ×2.3 0.6% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault
3 Brake discs (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake discs and drums > Brake discs
 Rear 170 ×2.3 3.1% Wear / usage pattern — not treated as a model design fault

Advisories

Advisory items recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear elevated versus peers. Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

# Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
1 Suspension arm (front)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Suspension arm
 Front 376 ×20.5 6.9% Elevated vs peers
2 Cable (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake cables, rods, levers and linkages > Cable
 Rear 45 ×19.8 0.8% Elevated vs peers
3 Macpherson strut (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Macpherson strut
 Front 111 ×11.3 2.0% Elevated vs peers
4 Wheel bearings (rear)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Rear 70 ×8.7 1.3% Strong pattern — appears far more often than similar cars
5 Headlamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamps > Headlamp
 Front 27 ×5.4 0.5% Possible elevated fault
6 Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
 Rear 21 ×5.0 0.4% Elevated vs peers
7 Wheel bearings (front)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Front 84 ×4.8 1.5% Possible elevated fault
8 Flexible brake hoses (front)
Brakes > Flexible brake hoses
 Front 25 ×2.0 0.5% Elevated vs peers

FAQs

We do not show a single reliability score for the 2016 Toyota Yaris on this page. Among 5,424 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Wheel bearings (rear) appears more often than on similar peer cars (about 21.3× more often than peers; 292 observed failures; 5.4% of failed tests). Treat this as a pre-purchase checklist from DVSA open data — not a guarantee for any individual car.
Among failed first-attempt tests we surface patterns that appear more often than on similar peer cars. Top example: Wheel bearings (rear) (about 21.3× more often than peers; 292 observed failures; 5.4% of failed tests). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Wheel bearings (rear) shows up more often than on similar peer cars (about 21.3× more often than peers; 292 observed failures; 5.4% of failed tests). That does not prove a causal design fault — age, mileage, and usage still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer TSB.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2016 Toyota Yaris include Wheel bearings (rear), Side repeaters (front), Side repeaters. These are elevated versus similar peer cars where lift clears our floors — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that look elevated versus peers among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights elevated MOT failure patterns for the 2016 Toyota Yaris (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are ranked against similar age and mileage peers. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer TSB list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.
PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

About this data

Universe. UK class 4 cars only; normal MOT tests (not retests); results pass, PRS, or fail; one first test per vehicle per calendar year.

PRS policy. PRS means the vehicle failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

Peer baseline. We compare this model year with other class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year, excluding the whole model family so the car is not compared with itself (leave-one-out peer baseline).

Data years. Test years covered: 2024, 2025.

Limitations.

  • MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules — so this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults are inferred from MOT defect statistics, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Matching on age and mileage reduces but does not remove every usage or maintenance difference between cars.
  • Pass rates and star scores appear only when those data marts are available; this page never invents them.

Display rules config: 1

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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