Lexus common problems and MOT failures

From 265,739 MOT tests in 2024, 13.6% of Lexus vehicles failed. Below are the most common reasons, ranked by how often they occur.

Top Lexus MOT failure reasons

#	Problem	Occurrences	% of failures
1	tyre seriously damaged	3,777	15.4%
2	tyre tread depth outside legal limits	3,419	14.0%
3	the aim of a headlamp is not within limits the requirements	2,600	10.6%
4	tyre cords visible or damaged	2,406	9.8%
5	brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm	2,369	9.7%
6	lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning	2,283	9.3%
7	wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen	2,206	9.0%
8	suspension pin, bush or joint worn	2,173	8.9%
9	suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc	1,765	7.2%
10	headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of led	1,504	6.1%

What this means if you're buying a Lexus

The single most common MOT failure for Lexus is tyre seriously damaged, accounting for 15% of all failure items. A set of new tyres typically costs £200–£500 depending on size.

These figures are from real MOT inspections. They show what testers actually find wrong with Lexus vehicles. If you're viewing a used Lexus, it's worth checking these areas specifically.

Lexus models by MOT pass rate

Lowest pass rates first. These models have the most testable issues.

Model	Tests	Pass rate
Is 220D	227	69.6%
Rx400 H Se Cvt	687	72.5%
Is 220D Se	239	72.8%
Is220	7,895	74%
Is200	9,982	74.1%
Rx300	5,788	74.6%
Rx400H	12,042	76.1%
Is 250 Se-L Auto	266	77.1%
Is 250 Se Auto	227	77.1%
Is300	1,275	77.4%
Gs300	4,918	78.4%
Rx350	1,088	78.4%
Rx400 H Se-L Cvt	426	78.6%
Ls400	2,286	79.6%
Is250	17,411	80.4%

Buying a specific Lexus? Check the individual vehicle's MOT history for free on GOV.UK to see its actual test results, advisories, and mileage readings.

Check MOT history on GOV.UK