Mitsubishi Pajero 2003: MOT failure rate for its age

35.5% of 479 MOT tests of the Mitsubishi Pajero first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 102.7 (95% CI 87.3–118.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age. This is a rough estimate from a smaller sample.

Mitsubishi Pajero built in 2003 at a glance
Measure	Value	Unit	Compared with	Years	Tests
Failed first time	35.5	%	all ages tested	2019–2024	479
Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 87.3–118.1)	102.7	index	100 = normal for this model at that age	2019–2024	479
Rank among this model's 4 build years	4	of 4	1 = fails least for its age	2019–2024	479
Tested in 2024	196	tests	median 144,532 miles	2024	196

Built 2003 against Mitsubishi Pajero normal for the age: first-time MOT failure share at each age, age 16: 34.1% vs 40%; age 17: 20% vs 36.5%; age 18: 37.4% vs 33.7%; age 19: 37.8% vs n/a%; age 20: 37.1% vs n/a%; age 21: 33.7% vs n/a%. Axis from 0% to 40%. DVSA MOT bulk data, 2019–2024.

Check a 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero by registration · All Mitsubishi Pajero MOT statistics · Download the build-year table (CSV)

Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).

How does the 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero fail at each age?

Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.

Mitsubishi Pajero built 2003: first-time MOT failure by age, against the model's normal rate at that age (2019–2024)
Age	Tests	Failed, %	95% interval	Normal for this model at that age, %	Index (100 = normal)
16	44 (rough estimate)	34.1	21.9–48.9	40	85.3
17	45 (rough estimate)	20	10.9–33.8	36.5	54.8
18	390 (rough estimate)	37.4	32.8–42.3	33.7	111
19	325 (rough estimate)	37.8	32.7–43.2	not available	not available
20	259 (rough estimate)	37.1	31.4–43.1	not available	not available
21	196 (rough estimate)	33.7	27.4–40.5	not available	not available

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,259 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

What fails most on the 2003 Mitsubishi Pajero?

The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is body, chassis, structure: 32.2 items per 100 first tests, against 33.7 across all build years of the Mitsubishi Pajero. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.

Failure items per 100 first tests, Mitsubishi Pajero built 2003 against the Mitsubishi Pajero in all build years (2019–2024, not age-adjusted)
Failure group	Built 2003, per 100	All build years, per 100	Items
Body, chassis, structure	32.2	33.7	405
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment	31.4	31.9	395
Suspension	27.3	29.7	344
Brakes	26.8	24.4	337
Visibility	13.2	11	166

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,259 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How does 2003 compare with the years around it?

Among the 4 published build years of the Mitsubishi Pajero, 2003 ranks 4 (1 = fails least for its age). 2004: index 99.9.

Mitsubishi Pajero build years: index against the model at the same age (2019–2024)
Build year	Index (100 = normal)	95% interval	Verdict	Tests
2003	102.7	87.3–118.1	no different (rough estimate)	479
2004	99.9	89.6–110.2	no different (rough estimate)	1,043
2005	98.8	89.3–108.4	no different (rough estimate)	1,195
2006	98.5	83.9–113.0	no different (rough estimate)	516

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 3,233 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV

How to cite this page

MOT Risk Index (2026). Mitsubishi Pajero 2003 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/mitsubishi-pajero/2003/

How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.

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