Vauxhall Astra 2003: reliability & common MOT faults

At a glance

How 5,631 first tests went in 2025.

Passed first time: 57 in every 100
Did not pass first time: 43 in every 1002,429 failed first-attempt tests
The typical car: 22 yearsabout 97,312 miles
First tests counted: 5,631

What failed most often

Headlight aim13 in every 100 failed tests
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)11 in every 100 failed tests
Rigid brake pipes (rear)8 in every 100 failed tests

How we count this. Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Only Class 4 cars on their first MOT of the year are counted. A car that fails and is fixed at the test station still counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate. These are raw results, not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix. The MOT does not test engine or gearbox internals.

Note:

These are patterns across 2003 Vauxhall Astra vehicles in 2025, not a prediction that any one car will have them. Faults are grouped by part of the car. They come from MOT defect codes, not manufacturer bulletins, recalls or a diagnosis of any one car.

Suspension

Four faults. The strongest is the macpherson strut (front): 4.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Figures below are measured across the 2,348 of 2,429 failed first attempts (96.7%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025. Mileage is needed to compare like with like. 3.3% of failures are excluded because no mileage was recorded, so treat these shares as indicative for this model year.

We only list faults with at least 20 failures and a rate of about 2.0 times that of similar cars, which keeps one-off results out of the list.

Macpherson strut (front)

Failed on 47 first tests4.1 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Many MacPherson strut top bushes are designed to have significant lateral play when the suspension hangs free, so a top bush is rejected only when the play comes from wear or maladjustment. A top bush or bearing with excessive wear or free play is Major. Rubber or synthetic bushes are rejected only for serious deterioration of the bonding or flexible material.

Shock absorbers (rear)

Failed on 183 first tests3.8 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

What it means

Slight seepage that leaves a film of fluid on a shock absorber does not fail it. Severe leakage, or damage so that it does not function, is Major. A shock absorber missing or likely to become detached is graded Dangerous, though a missing one is only rejected if shock absorbers were fitted as standard.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 201 first tests, 2.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Coil spring (rear)

Failed on 149 first tests2.7 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

A missing bump stop rubber is not a reason to fail a coil spring. When the vehicle is jacked and lowered, a spring that does not correctly locate as the suspension returns to its normal running position is rejected as insecurely attached. A missing spring is Major, and graded Dangerous where directional control is affected.

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (front)

Failed on 131 first tests2.5 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Excessive wear on an anti-roll bar linkage ball joint is Major. A joint likely to become detached is graded Dangerous.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 98 first tests, 2.4 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Brakes

Two faults. The strongest is the rigid brake pipes (front): 2.7 times as often as on similar cars.

Rigid brake pipes (front)

Failed on 153 first tests2.7 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe justifies rejection once its wall thickness is reduced by a set amount, although DVSA accepts this is not easy to determine. If a tester is not sure, the benefit of the doubt applies. A leaking pipe or connection is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic system and Major on an air system.

Rigid brake pipes (rear)

Failed on 196 first tests2.1 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Chafing, corrosion or damage to a rigid brake pipe justifies rejection once its wall thickness is reduced by a set amount, although DVSA accepts this is not easy to determine. If a tester is not sure, the benefit of the doubt applies. A leaking pipe or connection is graded Dangerous on a hydraulic system and Major on an air system.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 573 first tests, 2.2 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Body and structure

One fault: exhaust system (rear), 2.6 times as often as on similar cars.

Exhaust system (rear)

Failed on 144 first tests2.6 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

Exhaust fumes causing a danger to health of persons on board are graded Dangerous, and so is a silencer likely to become detached. Fumes entering the cabin are Major. One or more missing or defective mountings does not necessarily make the exhaust insecure, since testers assess the overall security of the system.

Also noted as an advisory

Testers also noted it as an advisory, worn but not yet failing, on 145 first tests, 2.1 times as often as on similar cars.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage. Advisories count notes recorded on failed first tests only.

Noise, emissions and leaks

One fault: petrol emissions not tested, 2.0 times as often as on similar cars.

Petrol emissions not tested

Failed on 107 first tests2.0 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

What it means

On a petrol car, an emissions test recorded as not tested or unable to be completed is failed as Major. DVSA's wording gives no reason why.

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

Advisories

Other things testers noted as worn or close to failing, more often than on similar cars.

An advisory is a note from the tester about something that has not failed yet. It is an early warning, not a fail. Advisories for the faults above are shown with those faults.

Suspension sub-frame mounting area (front)

Noted on 123 first tests10 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front)

Noted on 131 first tests5.6 times as often as similar carsLikely evidence

Individual direction indicators (front)

Noted on 108 first tests3.3 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Brake pedal

Noted on 27 first tests3.1 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Anti-roll bar ball joint (front)

Noted on 28 first tests3.0 times as often as similar carsPossible evidence

Swivel pins and bushes (rear)

Noted on 75 first tests2.9 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Shock absorbers (front)

Noted on 205 first tests2.7 times as often as similar carsElevated evidence

Data: UK MOT open data, 2025. Counts cover advisories recorded on failed first tests only, compared with cars of the same age and mileage.

MOT pass rates

How first tests ended, and how the pass rates are counted.

Passed first time: 57in every 100; Passed on the first test.
Fixed at the station: 8in every 100; Failed, then fixed at the test station the same day.
Failed: 35in every 100; Did not pass, and were not fixed at the test station.

First-attempt pass 56.9% of 5,631 first tests (2025): only cars that passed first time count. Official-style pass 65.2%: cars fixed at the test station also count as a pass. The 8 fixed and the 35 not fixed make the 43 in every 100 that did not pass first time.

Petrol and diesel

First testsTypical mileagePassed first time, as testedPassed first time, same mileage

Petrol4,51689,822 miles5757

Diesel1,103143,315 miles5659

Figures are in every 100 first tests. Cars with more miles usually fail more often, so the same-mileage figure gives every fuel the mileage mix of all the cars in this year.

Same model, other years

Passed first time in every 100, all tested in 2025.

Newer cars are younger, so look for a jump rather than the climb. A year earlier (2024), when these cars were a year younger, 55 in every 100 passed first time.

Year	Passed first time	First tests
1997	59 in every 100	419
1998	61 in every 100	424
1999	56 in every 100	739
2000	56 in every 100	1,248
2001	57 in every 100	2,356
2002	55 in every 100	4,206
2003 This car	57 in every 100	5,631
2004	56 in every 100	5,960
2005	53 in every 100	10,854
2006	51 in every 100	16,611
2007	53 in every 100	27,312
2008	55 in every 100	28,455
2009	55 in every 100	29,686
2010	59 in every 100	40,145
2011	61 in every 100	37,568
2012	64 in every 100	44,619
2013	65 in every 100	52,491
2014	66 in every 100	48,410
2015	67 in every 100	44,368
2016	73 in every 100	53,101
2017	78 in every 100	43,869
2018	80 in every 100	28,645
2019	83 in every 100	20,311
2020	83 in every 100	5,926
2021	87 in every 100	5,634
2022	89 in every 100	2,817

If you are buying one

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

Mileage matters most on a 2003 Astra.

Of 2003 Astra vehicles with under 67,000 miles, 66 in every 100 passed their 2025 MOT first time. With 136,000 miles or more, 55 in every 100 did.

Under 67,0001,082 tests

66

67,000–87,0001,091 tests

56

87,000–108,000 Typical car1,138 tests

57

108,000–136,0001,070 tests

53

136,000 and over1,108 tests

55

Petrol or diesel?

	Typical mileage	Passed first time, as tested	Passed first time, same mileage
Petrol	89,822 miles	57	57
Diesel	143,315 miles	56	59

Figures are in every 100 first tests. At the same mileage there is no clear difference between the two.

What to check at your mileage

How often each fault turned up on a failed first test, by the car's mileage. Read it as: what is likely to need looking at on a car like the one in front of you.

	Under 67,000	87,000–108,000	136,000 and over
Headlight aim	3.4	5.4	4.6
Individual sidelight or tail light (front)	3.0	5.3	4.9
Rigid brake pipes (rear)	1.8	4.4	4.4
Handbrake efficiency below minimum (roller test)	1.3	3.8	5.9
Shock absorbers (rear)	1.8	2.9	4.2

Faults per 100 first tests, by the car's mileage at the test.

When a car fails

20in every 100

of failed cars had one item to fix.

60in every 100

of failed cars had three or more items to fix.

9in every 100

of all first tests had a defect the tester marked dangerous (unsafe to drive away).

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line, for cars of this model year tested in 2025. Each mileage band holds a fifth of the tests. 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.

Is the 2003 Vauxhall Astra reliable?

The 2003 Vauxhall Astra follows the pattern of the model years either side. Its main cause of failure was Headlight aim, about 13 in every 100 failed tests. In 2025, 56.9% of 5,631 first MOTs on the 2003 Vauxhall Astra passed first time (PRS: items fixed at the station the same day, counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 65.2%. Among 2,429 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Macpherson strut (front) appears more often than on similar cars (2.0% of those tests; 47 observed failures; about 4.1× more often than similar cars). There is no single reliability score here; this is a pre-purchase checklist built from DVSA open data, not a guarantee for any individual car.

What is most likely to fail on a 2003 Vauxhall Astra?

Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that most often failed a 2003 Vauxhall Astra at the first attempt were Headlight aim (12.8%), Individual sidelight or tail light (front) (11.1%) and Rigid brake pipes (rear) (8.3%), each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong most often on the car. The common faults table shows a different measure: faults that are unusual compared with similar cars.

What common MOT faults stand out on the Vauxhall Astra 2003?

Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Macpherson strut (front) (2.0% of those tests; 47 observed failures; about 4.1× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.

Why does Macpherson strut (front) stand out?

Macpherson strut (front) shows up more often than on similar cars (2.0% of those tests; 47 observed failures; about 4.1× 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 checkpoint, not a manufacturer service bulletin.

What are common problems with the 2003 Vauxhall Astra?

Common MOT problem areas for the 2003 Vauxhall Astra include Macpherson strut (front), Shock absorbers (rear), Rigid brake pipes (front). These are the faults that stand out compared with similar cars, not a complete list of what can go wrong on any individual car.

How should I read advisories vs fails?

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.

What does this Vauxhall Astra 2003 MOT report cover?

This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2003 Vauxhall Astra (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.

Does this include engine and gearbox problems?

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.
If the data for a car is too thin to say anything useful, we say so rather than guess.

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

At a glance

What failed most often

Suspension

Macpherson strut (front)

What it means

Shock absorbers (rear)

What it means

Also noted as an advisory

Coil spring (rear)

What it means

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joints (front)

What it means

Also noted as an advisory

Brakes

Rigid brake pipes (front)

What it means

Rigid brake pipes (rear)

What it means

Also noted as an advisory

Body and structure

Exhaust system (rear)

What it means

Also noted as an advisory

Noise, emissions and leaks

Petrol emissions not tested

What it means

Advisories

Suspension sub-frame mounting area (front)

Macpherson strut pins and bushes (front)

Individual direction indicators (front)

Brake pedal

Anti-roll bar ball joint (front)

Swivel pins and bushes (rear)

Shock absorbers (front)

MOT pass rates

Petrol and diesel

Same model, other years

If you are buying one

Mileage matters most on a 2003 Astra.

Petrol or diesel?

What to check at your mileage

When a car fails

FAQs

About this data

What we include

Same-day repairs

How we compare

What this does not cover

Check any vehicle’s MOT history