The MOT Files

Known faults, from the test record

Isuzu D-Max common problems

What fails on the Isuzu D-Max at MOT, which parts are behind it, and how each model year compares. From 36,794 DVSA test records.

Data updated

Quick answer

The Isuzu D-Max's most common MOT problems are bulbs and lamps, suspension bushes, shock absorbers, recorded in 40.0%, 33.0% and 21.7% of failed tests respectively. By model year, 2022 cars pass most often (84.2%) and 2012 cars least (59.1%), though most of that gap is age. Every figure here is what testers recorded, not what owners reported.

A “common problems” list is usually a forum thread: whoever had the worst day writes the longest post. This one is built the other way, from every Isuzu D-Max that took an MOT last year and what the tester wrote down. It cannot see breakdowns, electrical gremlins or a gearbox that hunts, because the test does not check those. What it can see, it sees across 36,794 cars.

By component

What wears out on a D-Max

Failure items grouped by the part behind them, with the share of failed Isuzu D-Max tests recording each. A part can carry several DVSA wordings; they are listed beneath. One failed test often lists several items, so shares do not sum to 100%.

  1. 1.Bulbs and lamps

    40.0% of failed tests

    Filament bulbs simply expire; the cheapest and most avoidable failure on the test, and one of the most recorded.

    • “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” — explained15.1%
    • “A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained11.4%
    • “A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps” — explained5.3%
    • “Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning” — explained3.0%

    Across all cars, bulbs and lamps failures climb 15-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long bulbs and lamps last

  2. 2.Suspension bushes

    33.0% of failed tests

    Rubber bushes in arms and links perish and split with age and load; the most recorded suspension item on the test.

    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained13.2%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained9.8%
    • “A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc” — explained5.2%
    • “A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn” — explained3.2%

    Across all cars, suspension bushes failures climb 20-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long suspension bushes last

  3. 3.Shock absorbers

    21.7% of failed tests

    Seals wear and the damper leaks fluid or loses its action; failure is for a leak or no damping, not for being tired.

    • “A shock absorber bush excessively worn” — explained21.7%

    Across all cars, shock absorbers failures climb 7-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long shock absorbers last

  4. 4.Tyres

    19.1% of failed tests

    Tread wears with every mile and sidewalls age and take kerb damage; the legal minimum is 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters.

    • “Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements” — explained10.3%
    • “A tyre seriously damaged” — explained5.3%
    • “A tyre cords visible or damaged” — explained3.5%

    Across all cars, tyres failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long tyres last

  5. 5.Wiper blades and washers

    17.2% of failed tests

    Rubber blades harden and split within a year or two; washer jets block and pumps fail.

    • “Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen” — explained10.6%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained3.8%
    • “Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen” — explained2.9%

    Across all cars, wiper blades and washers failures run at a similar rate at every age, because they are replaced on a cycle rather than wearing out with the car. How long wiper blades and washers last

  6. 6.Brake pipes

    15.9% of failed tests

    Steel pipes under the car corrode from salt and moisture, fastest on cars kept outside in wet or coastal areas; failure is for excessive corrosion or damage.

    • “Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded” — explained15.9%

    Across all cars, brake pipes failures climb from nothing between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long brake pipes last

  7. 7.Parking brake

    14.7% of failed tests

    Cables stretch and seize, rear shoes and adjusters wear; efficiency is measured on the roller tester against the vehicle's weight.

    • “Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement” — explained6.5%
    • “Parking brake inoperative on one side” — explained3.6%
    • “Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment” — explained3.0%
    • “Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value” — explained1.7%

  8. 8.Exhaust system

    11.2% of failed tests

    Silencers and pipes rust through from the inside on short-trip cars; rubber hangers perish.

    • “Exhaust system leaking or insecure” — explained11.2%

    Across all cars, exhaust system failures climb 104-fold between three and fifteen years, peaking at 15+ years. How long exhaust system last

By registration year

D-Max problems by year

MOT pass rate for Isuzu D-Max cars by the year they were first registered, from years with at least 1,000 tests. Every car in a row is the same age, so the rate is raw. Neighbouring years differ by a year of wear — a step of a point or two is age. The step at 2021, up 5.5 points, is larger than wear explains and most likely marks a change in the cars themselves.

201259%
201361%+1.6
201463%+2.0
201565%+2.1
201667%+1.7
201770%+3.3
201872%+2.4
201975%+2.9
202077%+2.0
202183%+5.5
202284%+1.6

Last column: change on the previous year, in points. Years registered within the last three years have not yet been tested and are not shown.

Before it fails

What testers warn D-Max owners about

Advisories are the same parts a year or two earlier. Share of all Isuzu D-Max tests carrying an advisory for each.

Go deeper

The rest of the D-Max file

Common questions

What are the most common problems with a Isuzu D-Max?
Going by what fails the MOT, bulbs and lamps (recorded in 40.0% of failed tests), suspension bushes (recorded in 33.0% of failed tests), and shock absorbers (recorded in 21.7% of failed tests). These are the items testers actually record across 36,794 tests, not reports from owners, so they describe what goes wrong at the point where it has to be fixed.
Which Isuzu D-Max year is the most reliable?
By MOT pass rate, Isuzu D-Max cars registered in 2022 do best at 84.2% and 2012 cars do worst at 59.1%. Most of that ordering is simply age — newer cars pass more — so read the year table for steps larger than a couple of points between neighbouring years; those mark a change in the cars rather than the calendar. The largest such step is at 2021, up 5.5 points on 2020.
Is the Isuzu D-Max reliable?
Adjusted for the age and mileage of the cars tested, the Isuzu D-Max passes 72.3% of MOTs against a national 72.3%. An MOT measures roadworthiness on the day rather than breakdowns or running costs, so this is a reliability measure in the narrow sense: how often the car meets the legal standard, and what stops it.
What should I check when buying a used Isuzu D-Max?
Start with what fails most: bulbs and lamps, suspension bushes, shock absorbers. Then read the car's own MOT history for advisories carried year to year without repair — the model tells you what to expect, the history tells you whether this owner dealt with it.

Analysis built from DVSA data of