Aston Martin Vanquish
The Aston Martin Vanquish MOT pass rate for cars first registered 2016–2021 is 95.6% across 1,236 official UK DVSA tests. This report then covers more than 486 recorded defect notes for Aston Martin Vanquish models in that registration band. It shows common faults, MOT pass rates and maintenance trends to help you research the model before you buy.
Unlike a registration check, this report analyses how thousands of similar Aston Martin Vanquish models have performed at MOT over time — not just one vehicle.
- 95.6%
- MOT pass rateshare of recorded tests that passed
- 1k
- MOT tests analysed1,236 official DVSA records
- 486
- defect notes recorded486 · advisory to dangerous
- 2016–21
- registration yearssnapshot 26 September 2026
A fleet outcome for Aston Martin Vanquish models registered 2016–2021 — not a reliability score, and not a verdict on one car. Always check the specific vehicle.
Key findings
What the MOT record says about the Aston Martin Vanquish
- 95.6% MOT pass rate across 1,236 tests.
- 73% of recorded defect notes relate to owner maintenance.
- Tyres account for the largest volume of recorded MOT issues.
- Brake-pipe deterioration is the most common recurring systemic issue in this extract.
- Headlamp alignment appears throughout the vehicle's life, from low to higher mileages.
Failure breakdown
How Aston Martin Vanquish MOT failures break down
Share of recorded defect notes by category in this age band — not MOT tests and not number of vehicles.
- 72.6%Owner maintenance353 notes
- 0.2%Wear & tear1 notes
- 8%Systemic39 notes
- 19.1%Other93 notes
Advisory
415
85% of notes
Minor
17
3% of notes
Major
47
10% of notes
Dangerous
7
1% of notes
Most common owner-maintenance faults
DVSA wording grouped as owner maintenance for this model and age band.
- 1
Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge
86 notes5.2.3 (e)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- Tread is close to (or at) the legal minimum, or wear is concentrated on an edge. That often points to alignment, pressure or suspension issues as well as simple age.
Why it happens
- Under-inflation, poor alignment, aggressive driving or simply delayed replacement push tread below a safe/legal profile.
Buyer tip
- Measure tread across the full width, check tyre age (DOT date) and look for uneven inner-edge wear.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 2
Headlamp aim too high
22 notes4.1.2 (a)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- This MOT defect usually indicates incorrect headlamp alignment following adjustment, suspension movement or repair work.
Why it happens
- Aim drifts after suspension work, bumper repairs, bulb changes or simply from road vibration over time.
Buyer tip
- Check beam alignment during inspection and ask whether the lamps were aimed after any recent suspension or bodywork.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 3
Shock absorbers has light misting of oil
5 notes5.3.2 (b)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- A damper mounting bush is worn, which can cause knocks, vague handling and accelerated tyre wear.
Why it happens
- Rubber bushes harden and tear with age, road salt and repeated suspension movement.
Buyer tip
- Listen for clunks over speed bumps and have a mechanic check top mounts and lower bushes.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 4
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative
3 notes5.2.3 (h)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- The tyre pressure monitoring system is reporting a fault or is clearly not working, so you may not get a dashboard warning of under-inflation.
Why it happens
- Flat battery sensors after tyre changes, damaged valves or control-module faults are common.
Buyer tip
- Confirm whether sensors need replacing after recent tyre or wheel work, and check pressures manually anyway.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 5
Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed
3 notes7.1.2 (b)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- Seat-belt webbing is frayed or lightly damaged, which can weaken the belt in a crash.
Why it happens
- Abrasion at guides, trapped belts or age fray the webbing fibres.
Buyer tip
- Pull each belt fully out and inspect for cuts, fraying and weak retraction.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 6
Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material slightly corroded
3 notes1.1.11 (c)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- A brake pipe is damaged or heavily corroded. Pipe failure can cause sudden loss of braking effort.
Why it happens
- Road salt, stone chips and age corrode metal pipes, especially along the underbody.
Buyer tip
- Inspect metal pipes along the underbody and near calipers; corroded pipes should be replaced before you rely on the car.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 7
Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect
2 notes4.1.2 (c)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- This MOT defect usually indicates incorrect headlamp alignment following adjustment, suspension movement or repair work.
Why it happens
- Aim drifts after suspension work, bumper repairs, bulb changes or simply from road vibration over time.
Buyer tip
- Check beam alignment during inspection and ask whether the lamps were aimed after any recent suspension or bodywork.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
- 8
Windscreen washer not working
1 notes3.5 (a)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- Washer jets are not delivering fluid. Testers need a clear screen; empty reservoirs, blocked jets or failed pumps are common.
Why it happens
- Empty bottles, frozen/blocked jets, split pipes or a failed pump stop fluid reaching the screen.
Buyer tip
- Top up fluid, test the jets on the driveway, and check for cracked bottles or split pipes in the engine bay.
Severity
- Usually maintenance related
Most common wear & tear faults
DVSA wording grouped as wear and tear for this model and age band.
No wear-and-tear items in this extract.
Most common systemic faults
DVSA wording grouped as systemic patterns for this model and age band.
- 1
Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material
36 notes1.1.11 (c)What it means, why it happens, what to check
What it means
- A brake pipe is damaged or heavily corroded. Pipe failure can cause sudden loss of braking effort.
Why it happens
- Road salt, stone chips and age corrode metal pipes, especially along the underbody.
Buyer tip
- Inspect metal pipes along the underbody and near calipers; corroded pipes should be replaced before you rely on the car.
Severity
- Often a recurring model pattern
Aston Martin Vanquish research summary
Based on over 1,236 official UK MOT tests, Aston Martin Vanquish models registered between 2016 and 2021 achieve a strong 95.6% MOT pass rate.
The overwhelming majority of recorded MOT defects relate to routine owner maintenance, with tyres, lighting and dampers accounting for most common faults seen on used examples in this age band.
Recurring systemic faults occur far less frequently, although brake-pipe deterioration appears consistently across the dataset.
Overall, the data suggests that this generation of Aston Martin Vanquish is more likely to fail MOT due to maintenance items than widespread design faults, making service history and routine upkeep particularly important when buying used. Shoppers comparing a used Aston Martin Vanquish should treat this research summary as model-level context before inspecting any individual car.
What this report cannot tell you
This report describes model-level MOT trends, not the condition of any individual vehicle.
Two identical Aston Martin Vanquish models can have very different maintenance histories.
Use it to understand common patterns before inspecting a specific car — then check that car’s own MOT history.
Year by year
Recent category counts
Defect-note totals by calendar year in the serving extract (not MOT tests, not vehicles, not a prediction).
| Year | Owner maintenance | Wear & tear | Systemic | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| 2022 | 84 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| 2023 | 52 | 0 | 9 | 4 |
| 2024 | 68 | 0 | 17 | 13 |
| 2025 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| 2026 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 5 |
All counts are defect notes.
How we classify MOT faults
We group recorded DVSA defect wording into four research categories to help identify whether issues are more likely to reflect routine maintenance, expected wear, recurring model patterns or miscellaneous inspection outcomes.
- Owner maintenance
- Defects often linked to day-to-day upkeep — tyres, lamps, washers and other items a careful owner can usually prevent or fix promptly.
- Wear & tear
- Age- and mileage-related deterioration that accumulates with normal use, even when a car has been looked after.
- Systemic
- Recurring wording and patterns across the model fleet that may point to design, component or known-model tendencies rather than one careless owner.
- Other
- Inspection outcomes that do not sit cleanly in the three groups above, including mixed or less classifiable defect notes.
Dataset: 1,236 official UK DVSA MOT tests · 486 defect notes · 2016–2021 registrations · United Kingdom · snapshot 26 September 2026 · aggregated model-level MOT analysis.
Buying a used Aston Martin Vanquish: practical MOT checks
- 1Measure tyre tread across the full width and check age (DOT date) before you buy.
- 2Ask for a full service history that matches the mileage.
- 3Compare this model with a peer in the same age band, not against a single registration check alone.
- 4Confirm any warning lamps (engine management, ABS, SRS) are investigated, not just cleared.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Aston Martin Vanquish MOT pass rate for 2016–2021?
- In this extract, Aston Martin Vanquish shows a 95.6% MOT pass rate across 1,236 recorded DVSA tests.
What drives most Aston Martin Vanquish MOT defect notes?
- About 73% of recorded defect notes are classed as owner maintenance, with tyres among the highest-volume items.
Is this the same as checking one registration on GOV.UK?
- No. GOV.UK shows one vehicle. This page aggregates MOT outcomes for the Aston Martin Vanquish model in a fixed UK registration age band so you can research the model before you shortlist cars.
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