Used car guide · 1991–2025

Toyota Previa common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Toyota Previa, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 12,796 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

12,796MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
5,148on the UK register
2006best 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).

202520172015201320122006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991

What usually goes wrong with a Toyota Previa?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Toyota Previa 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 Toyota Previa MOT failures to check

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

  • Suspension arm bushes and joints

    up to 4.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Coil springs

    up to 3.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    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.

  • Headlights

    up to 3.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

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

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

    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.

  • Steering swivel joints

    up to 11.7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

    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 pads

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2001, 2002 and 2006.

    Rough price £75–£175 (one axle) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for squealing or grinding when braking, and look through the wheel at how much pad is left.

Toyota Previa MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2006 Toyota Previa did best (56% passed first time, 0 points above all 2006 cars) and the 2005 did worst (56%, 1 point below all 2005 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201567%74% -7108 (small sample)
201364%67% -3164 (small sample)
201265%64% +1135 (small sample)
200656%56% +01,566
200556%57% -11,998
200453%57% -42,203
200353%57% -41,912
200254%58% -41,361
200153%60% -71,335
200053%61% -8518
199957%63% -6196 (small sample)
199859%65% -6280 (small sample)
199760%65% -5294 (small sample)
199661%66% -5295 (small sample)
199559%67% -8211 (small sample)
199464%67% -3109 (small sample)
199360%68% -8111 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Toyota Previa

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

  1. Any recent work on the suspension arm bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 4.2× as often on the Toyota Previa as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the coil springs? (Flagged at MOT 3.4× as often on the Toyota Previa as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the headlights? (Flagged at MOT 3.3× as often on the Toyota Previa as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Toyota Previa?

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