Used car guide

2003 Toyota Yaris: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2003 Toyota Yariss, from 9,686 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

9,686MOT tests in 2025
54%pass first time (all 2003 cars: 59%)
4,200typical miles a year
10.5×the usual rate for anti-roll bar link bushes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2003 Toyota Yariss than on all cars registered in 2003.

  • Anti-roll bar link bushes10.5× usual
    Toyota Yaris
    20.9% All 2003 cars
    2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.5%, against 0.5% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Headlights2.1× usual
    Toyota Yaris
    25.7% All 2003 cars
    12.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 7.3%, against 4.4% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check both headlights on dipped and full beam, and look for cloudy or cracked lenses.

  • Rust around suspension or steering mountings2.1× usual
    Toyota Yaris
    14% All 2003 cars
    6.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.6%, against 3.2% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Brake lights1.8× usual
    Toyota Yaris
    10.3% All 2003 cars
    5.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.6%, against 4.4% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    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.

  • Steering swivel joints3.5× usual
    Toyota Yaris
    3.9% All 2003 cars
    1.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.1% of all 2003 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Better than most

Engine oil leaks: 8% here, against 16.2% of all 2003 cars. Ball joint: 1.4% here, against 6.3% of all 2003 cars.

By area

The share of 2003 Toyota Yaris MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    53% of testsRough price £120–£400

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

  • Lights and electrics
    50% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    36% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    32% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    14% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Rust and bodywork
    12% of testsRough price £150–£1,000

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Looking at a Toyota Yaris?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20231,164Tyres 12%
202221,996Tyres 20%
202123,784Tyres 24%
202020,644Tyres 24%
201928,089Tyres 28%
201828,044Tyres 28%
201726,889Tyres 27%
201628,573Tyres 28%
201530,843Tyres 29%
201429,196Tyres 29%
201328,986Tyres 30%
201227,339Suspension 34%
201115,926Suspension 35%
201018,149Suspension 40%
200923,840Suspension 40%
200821,086Suspension 48%
200719,296Suspension 48%
200615,515Lights and electrics 48%
200514,375Suspension 50%
200411,481Suspension 52%
20027,463Suspension 56%
20015,863Suspension 60%
20002,823Suspension 61%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2003 Toyota Yariss registered in 2003. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score