Used car guide · 2011–2015

Chrysler Ypsilon common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Chrysler Ypsilon, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 14,192 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

14,192MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
4,499on the UK register
2011best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20152014201320122011

What usually goes wrong with a Chrysler Ypsilon?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Chrysler Ypsilon in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Chrysler Ypsilon MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Exhaust system

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011 and 2012.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Front struts

    up to 5.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Individual direction indicators

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 2.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Coil springs

    up to 1.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012.

    Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

Chrysler Ypsilon MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2011 Chrysler Ypsilon did best (62% passed first time, 0 points above all 2011 cars) and the 2014 did worst (63%, 7 points below all 2014 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201570%74% -4338 (small sample)
201463%70% -73,748
201361%67% -64,746
201262%64% -24,654
201162%62% +0706

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Chrysler Ypsilon

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the exhaust system? (Flagged at MOT 4.2× as often on the Chrysler Ypsilon as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 3.4× as often on the Chrysler Ypsilon as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 2.7× as often on the Chrysler Ypsilon as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Chrysler Ypsilon?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score