Mitsubishi Pajero
From 3,416 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Pajeros fare better: 2007 models pass at 74% vs 69.9% for 2004.
Pass rate by fuel type
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point and vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced. The top issue, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, caused 212 failures in 2024. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 212 |
| body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point | 192 |
| vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced | 147 |
| the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired | 146 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 130 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 129 |
| an obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 122 |
| the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 98 |
| exhaust system leaking or insecure | 85 |
| a rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 84 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 43.9% of Pajero failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 19.3% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. Breakdown cover may be worth considering for this model. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £184.
Fuel type matters
Petrol versions pass at 75.7% while Diesel versions pass at 70.6%, a 5 percentage point gap.
Mitsubishi Pajero on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 73 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 5 newly registered, a net loss of 68. At this rate, roughly 11 years until none remain. Now at 23.6% of its peak (3,173 in 2007 Q4).
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 155 | 594 | +2 | -7 | -5 |
| 2025 Q2 | 166 | 588 | +1 | -13 | -12 |
| 2025 Q1 | 178 | 588 | +0 | -18 | -18 |
| 2024 Q4 | 195 | 589 | +2 | -35 | -33 |
| 2024 Q3 | 196 | 621 | +0 | -16 | -16 |
| 2024 Q2 | 204 | 629 | +1 | -10 | -9 |
| 2024 Q1 | 217 | 625 | +3 | -4 | -1 |
| 2023 Q4 | 221 | 622 | +0 | -12 | -12 |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 74% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2006 | 73.6% | exhaust system leaking or insecure, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2005 | 77% | body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2004 | 69.9% | body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
7 earlier years
| 2003 | 73.7% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point |
| 2002 | 58.2% | a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
| 2001 | 66.4% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1999 | 75.9% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements |
| 1998 | 76.7% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced |
| 1996 | 64.6% | the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point |
| 1995 | 78.3% | vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired |
Typical mileage
Half of all Pajeros tested had between 105,445 and 197,023 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 142,137 median miles, the Pajero has 0.02 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Mitsubishi models
| Mitsubishi L200 | 76.9% |
| Mitsubishi Outlander | 80.9% |
| Mitsubishi Shogun | 76.8% |
| Mitsubishi Asx | 79.9% |
| Mitsubishi Colt | 64.6% |
Common questions
What is the Mitsubishi Pajero MOT pass rate?
The Mitsubishi Pajero has a 71.8% MOT pass rate based on 3,416 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Mitsubishi Pajero?
The most common MOT failure on the Mitsubishi Pajero is the strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, which caused 212 failures. Other common issues include body, cab or chassis excessively corroded at a mounting point.
How many Mitsubishi Pajeros are on UK roads?
There are 155 Mitsubishi Pajeros currently licensed on UK roads, with 594 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Mitsubishi Pajero at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Mitsubishi Pajero is 142,137 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 105,445 and 197,023 miles.
Buying a used Pajero?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 71.8% pass rate and an average repair bill of £184 when things go wrong, budget accordingly. 43.9% of failures on this model could actually strand you, so breakdown cover may be worth considering.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.