Porsche 911 Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Porsche 911 fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 117,064 MOT tests across 32 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: luxury | Fuel: Petrol, LPG
92%
Porsche 911 pass rate
92%
Porsche average
82%
All-model average
The Porsche 911 has an average MOT pass rate of 92%, which is equal to the Porsche average and 10 points above the average across all models in our data. Newer Porsche 911s pass their MOT more often than older ones, by 5 percentage points on average, which is mostly down to age and wear.
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What the Porsche 911 Fails Its MOT On
Of the 5,341 MOT tests on the Porsche 911 that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
40%Cars and vans the same age: 46% · Typical repair £15-£200
Tyres
19%Cars and vans the same age: 15% (the 911 fails on this more often) · Typical repair £50-£300
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
17%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £80-£800
Brakes
17%Cars and vans the same age: 29% (the 911 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Suspension
14%Cars and vans the same age: 35% (the 911 fails on this less often) · Typical repair £150-£600
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Petrol engine emissions: lambda reading outside the limits (9.9% of failed tests, exhaust, emissions and leaks)
- Position lamp: not working (8.2% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Drive shaft CV boot split or insecure (8.1% of failed tests, body, chassis and structure)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Porsche 911 Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each 911 year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points less often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Porsche 911 Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Petrol | 3.0L | 100% | 0% | - |
| 2020 | Petrol | 3.0L | 97% | 2% | 92% (+5) |
| 2019 | Petrol | 4.0L | 97% | 3% | 91% (+6) |
| 2018 | Petrol | 4.0L | 96% | 3% | 89% (+7) |
| 2017 | Petrol | 4.0L | 97% | 2% | 87% (+10) |
| 2016 | Petrol | 4.0L | 97% | 2% | 86% (+11) |
| 2015 | Petrol | 4.0L | 97% | 3% | 84% (+13) |
| 2014 | Petrol | 3.8L | 96% | 3% | 82% (+14) |
| 2013 | Petrol | 3.4L | 96% | 4% | 80% (+16) |
| 2012 | Petrol | 3.8L | 95% | 5% | 79% (+16) |
| 2011 | Petrol | 3.8L | 95% | 5% | 77% (+18) |
| 2010 | Petrol | 3.8L | 94% | 5% | 75% (+19) |
| 2009 | Petrol | 3.8L | 92% | 7% | 75% (+17) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 3.8L | 92% | 8% | 74% (+18) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 3.8L | 90% | 9% | 73% (+17) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 3.8L | 90% | 9% | 73% (+17) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 3.8L | 90% | 10% | 73% (+17) |
| 2004 | Petrol | 3.8L | 88% | 11% | 72% (+16) |
| 2003 | Petrol | 2.2L | 87% | 12% | 72% (+15) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 3.6L | 86% | 13% | 73% (+13) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 3.6L | 88% | 12% | 73% (+15) |
| 2000 | LPG | 3.4L | 86% | 12% | 74% (+12) |
| 1999 | Petrol | 3.4L | 87% | 12% | 75% (+12) |
| 1998 | Petrol | 3.6L | 85% | 13% | 76% (+9) |
| 1997 | Petrol | 3.8L | 90% | 9% | 76% (+14) |
| 1996 | Petrol | 3.6L | 91% | 8% | 77% (+14) |
| 1995 | Petrol | 3.6L | 89% | 10% | 77% (+12) |
| 1994 | Petrol | 3.5L | 91% | 9% | 78% (+13) |
| 1993 | Petrol | 3.6L | 91% | 8% | - |
| 1992 | Petrol | 3.6L | 94% | 5% | - |
| 1991 | Petrol | 3.2L | 91% | 7% | - |
| 1990 | Petrol | 3.6L | 91% | 8% | 80% (+11) |
Porsche 911 Running Costs
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Porsche 911 FAQ
What are the most common Porsche 911 problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Porsche 911 that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (40% of the 5,341 failed tests), tyres (19%) and exhaust, emissions and leaks (17%). The single most common fault was "Petrol engine emissions: lambda reading outside the limits" (9.9%). Across 117,064 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 92% ended in a pass.
Is the Porsche 911 reliable?
The Porsche 911 has an average MOT pass rate of 92%, from 117,064 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 13 points more often on average, a better than average result for its age.
Which Porsche 911 years should I avoid?
No Porsche 911 year with 1,000+ tests passed 3 or more points less often than all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). The years that passed most often for their age were the 2010 (94% of 3,656 tests passed, against 75% for all 2010 cars), the 2008 (92% of 4,216 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars) and the 2011 (95% of 2,580 tests passed, against 77% for all 2011 cars). A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Porsche 911 faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Porsche 911 typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Porsche Models
Common problems pages for other Porsche models