Used car guide · 2013–2026

Toyota Proace common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Toyota Proace, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 16,197 MOTs done during 2025), and what to check before you buy one.

16,197MOTs done in 2025, all years of this model
3,696on the UK register
2020best 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).

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013

What usually goes wrong with a Toyota Proace?

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

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2025.

  • Number plate lights

    up to 19× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 12.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    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.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints

    up to 12.6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Sidelights

    up to 8.3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    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.

  • Headlights

    up to 10× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

    Rough price £40–£400 our estimate

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

  • Exhaust system

    up to 6× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    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.

Toyota Proace MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2020 Toyota Proace did best (79% passed first time, 7 points below all 2020 cars) and the 2015 did worst (51%, 21 points below all 2015 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202386%92% -6177 (small sample)
202277%89% -123,715
202173%87% -142,645
202079%86% -71,714
201977%84% -71,828
201871%81% -101,963
201767%78% -111,572
201657%75% -18567
201551%72% -211,045
201452%69% -17765
201356%66% -10206 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Toyota Proace

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

  1. Any recent work on the number plate lights? (Flagged at MOT 19× as often on the Toyota Proace as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 12.8× as often on the Toyota Proace as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 12.6× as often on the Toyota Proace as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Toyota Proace?

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 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