Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 5,605 tests analysed

Toyota Yaris 2001: reliability & common MOT faults

2,496 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2001 Toyota Yaris in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Component mounting prescribed areas (rear) was the most common reason a 2001 Yaris failed its MOT — 18.6% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

55.5%

of 5,605 first tests (2025)

First tests

5,605

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

2,496

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

55.5%

of 5,605 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

64.6%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

5,605

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 24.0 yrs · median mileage 93,403 mi

vs 2024: +0.8 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 2,494 of 2,496 failed first attempts (99.9%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Linkage pins and bushes (front) — 9.6% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 239 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 12× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Linkage pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage pins and bushes
 Front 239 ×12 9.6% Strong
Wheel bearings (rear)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Rear 87 ×3.2 3.5% Likely
Parking brake control — Lever
Brakes > Parking brake control > Lever
 Any 51 ×2.6 2.0% Possible
Coil spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Rear 134 ×2.4 5.4% Possible
Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
 Rear 465 ×2.4 18.6% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Wear patterns

Usage and mileage effects that often track road use rather than model design.

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.

Pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Tread depth (front)
Tyres > Tread depth
 Front 158 ×2.2 6.3% Wear
Note: These patterns are not treated as a model design fault in our common-faults ranking.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Linkage pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Linkage pins and bushes
 Front 433 ×10 17.4% Strong
Swivel pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Axles > Swivel pins and bushes
 Rear 157 ×8.0 6.3% Elevated
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
 Rear 43 ×4.9 1.7% Elevated
Headlamp (front)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Headlamps > Headlamp
 Front 183 ×4.4 7.3% Elevated
Component mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Component mounting prescribed areas
 Rear 300 ×3.1 12.0% Possible
Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas (rear)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas
 Rear 56 ×3.1 2.2% Likely
Stop lamp (rear)
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Stop lamp
 Rear 43 ×3.0 1.7% Elevated
Coil spring (rear)
Suspension > Springs > Coil springs > Coil spring
 Rear 535 ×3.0 21.5% Possible
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the Yaris either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2001 Yaris, commonest first.

Other Yaris years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2002 Yaris +1.9 pp better 56.2% 7,169
2003 Yaris -1.7 pp worse 53.2% 9,228

What to check on a 2001 Yaris

The items that failed 2001 Yaris most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Component mounting prescribed areas (rear) — recorded on 18.6% of failed first attempts
  • Position lamp (front) — recorded on 11.2% of failed first attempts
  • Catalyst emissions — recorded on 10.3% of failed first attempts
  • Headlamp aim — recorded on 9.6% of failed first attempts
  • Linkage pins and bushes (front) — recorded on 9.6% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Component mounting prescribed areas (rear) was the most common reason a 2001 Yaris failed its MOT — 18.6% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 55.5% of 5,605 first MOTs on the 2001 Toyota Yaris passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 64.6%. Among 2,496 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Linkage pins and bushes (fr…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2001 Toyota Yariss most often at the first attempt were Component mounting prescribed areas (rear) (18.6%), Position lamp (front) (11.2%) and Catalyst emissions (10.3%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the comm…
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Linkage pins and bushes (front) (9.6% of those tests; 239 observed failures; about 12× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Linkage pins and bushes (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (9.6% of those tests; 239 observed failures; about 12× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2001 Toyota Yaris include Linkage pins and bushes (front), Wheel bearings (rear), Parking brake control — Lever. These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — 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 appear more often than on similar cars 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 MOT failure patterns for the 2001 Toyota Yaris (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin 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.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

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

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car 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.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

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

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