Isuzu D-Max MOT failure rate and common faults
37,088 Isuzu D-Max pickups aged 3 to 20 took their MOT in 2025, and 29.1% failed at the first attempt. An average car of the same age failed 22.1% of the time, which makes the Isuzu D-Max 32% more likely to fail than the typical car on the road. Here is what fails, and which years to look for.
29.1%
failed first time
37,088 MOT tests in 2025
+32%
vs same age average
average car of this age mix: 22.1%
14 of 24
age adjusted rank
among vans and pickups; 1 fails least
77.2
dangerous defects per 1,000
same age average: 86.7
What fails on a Isuzu D-Max MOT
Failure items recorded per 1,000 tests, by part of the car, set against an average car with exactly the same spread of ages. A figure well above average is a weak spot worth checking before you buy.
The most common Isuzu D-Max MOT failures
The individual failure items testers recorded most often, per 1,000 tests.
| Failure item | Area | Per 1,000 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush | Suspension | 52.5 |
| Rear fog lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 40.0 |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded | Brakes | 37.6 |
| Position lamp: not working | Lights and electrics | 37.5 |
| Ball joint excessively worn | Suspension | 35.7 |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 34.9 |
| Exhaust system: has a major leak of exhaust gases | Body, chassis, exhaust and drive shafts | 26.6 |
| Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm | Tyres | 24.5 |
| Anti-roll bars: pin or bush excessively worn | Suspension | 22.5 |
| Wheel bearings: has excessive play | Suspension | 22.4 |
Isuzu D-Max MOT failure rate by year
Every car fails more often as it ages, so each registration year is compared with the average for all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 500 tests are left out.
| First registered | Tests | Failed | Same age average | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3,494 | 15.8% | 11.4% | 41,600 |
| 2021 | 3,143 | 17.4% | 12.8% | 51,500 |
| 2020 | 2,536 | 23.0% | 14.1% | 59,200 |
| 2019 | 3,790 | 25.0% | 16.5% | 69,000 |
| 2018 | 3,827 | 27.8% | 19.1% | 77,100 |
| 2017 | 4,243 | 30.2% | 21.8% | 84,400 |
| 2016 | 4,177 | 33.5% | 25.1% | 91,500 |
| 2015 | 4,418 | 35.2% | 28.1% | 98,500 |
| 2014 | 3,729 | 37.3% | 31.4% | 106,100 |
| 2013 | 2,576 | 39.1% | 34.3% | 111,000 |
| 2012 | 1,138 | 41.0% | 36.6% | 116,100 |
Advisories to look for in a Isuzu D-Max's MOT history
An advisory is a tester's warning that something is wearing but has not failed yet. These are the ones written most often on the Isuzu D-Max, per 1,000 tests. If the car you are looking at has one of these, ask whether it has been fixed since.
- Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge247.4
- Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material195.4
- Wheel bearings: has slight play173.6
- Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened70.2
- Shock absorbers: has a slightly worn bush66.5
- Brake pads: wearing thin63.5
Checking a used Isuzu D-Max before you buy
Against cars of the same age, the Isuzu D-Max fails more often than average on lights and electrics, suspension and brakes. Start there.
Lights and electrics
Walk round the car with every light on: headlights on dip and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and the number plate lamp. A pattern of electrical faults costs more than a bulb.
Suspension
Drive over speed bumps with the radio off and listen for knocks. Look at the car side on: a corner sitting lower than the others often means a broken coil spring.
Brakes
Look through the wheel spokes at the discs for a deep lip or scoring, check the handbrake holds the car on a slope, and feel for a pull to one side when braking hard.
Averages only take you so far. The specific car's MOT history shows whether it has already failed on any of these, how often advisories were ignored, and whether the mileage climbs steadily from test to test. Read our guide to reading a car's MOT history before you go to view it.
Isuzu D-Max MOT questions
What is the Isuzu D-Max MOT failure rate?
29.1% of Isuzu D-Max pickups failed their first MOT test of 2025, from 37,088 tests on vehicles aged 3 to 20. An average car with the same age mix failed 22.1% of the time, so the Isuzu D-Max was 32% more likely to fail.
What fails most often on a Isuzu D-Max MOT?
Lights and electrics caused the most failure items, at 213 per 1,000 tests. The single most common failure item was "Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush", recorded 52.5 times per 1,000 tests.
Which Isuzu D-Max year has the best MOT record?
Measured against cars of the same age, 2012 registrations did best: 41.0% failed against an average of 36.6% for cars that age. Older cars always fail more often, so compare a year with its age group rather than with newer cars.
Does this tell me whether a particular Isuzu D-Max will pass?
No. These are averages across every Isuzu D-Max tested in 2025. The car in front of you has its own record: its full MOT history shows every pass, failure and advisory it has had, and it is free to view by registration.
Ranked close to the Isuzu D-Max
- Ford Rangerrank 11
- Nissan Navararank 12
- Peugeot Expertrank 13
- Renault Kangoorank 15
How these figures are calculated
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 release. We count first tests of cars and small vans (class 4) aged 3 to 20, so a car that fails and is retested is counted once. A failure includes faults fixed and passed within the same visit. The same age average weights the national failure rate for each age by how many Isuzu D-Max pickups of that age were tested, so a model is never penalised for having an older fleet. Make and model are as recorded at the test; trim levels are combined. Full method and rankings.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.