Used car guide

2009 Vauxhall Vectra: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 Vauxhall Vectras, from 1,270 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,270MOT tests in 2025

57%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)

7,100typical miles a year

2.7×the usual rate for rigid brake pipes

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 Vauxhall Vectras than on all cars registered in 2009.

Rigid brake pipes2.7× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
20.1% All 2009 cars
7.5%

Failed outright at MOT: 4.9%, against 1.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.
Exhaust system1.9× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
16.1% All 2009 cars
8.4%

Failed outright at MOT: 3.5%, against 2.2% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

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.
Sub-frame1.9× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
15% All 2009 cars
7.7%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.5%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Flexible brake hoses2.7× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
8.1% All 2009 cars
3%

Failed outright at MOT: 1.2%, against 0.4% of all 2009 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.
Individual direction indicators2.7× usual

Vauxhall Vectra
7.8% All 2009 cars
2.9%

Failed outright at MOT: 3.8%, against 1.2% of all 2009 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.

Better than most

Brake lights: 2.4% here, against 5.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 Vauxhall Vectra 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.
Brakes

45% 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.
Lights and electrics

37% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

36% 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.
Exhaust and emissions

19% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.
Oil and fluid leaks

16% of testsRough price £80–£600

At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Vauxhall Vectra?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2008	7,050	Suspension 53%
2007	6,118	Suspension 52%
2006	3,176	Suspension 52%
2005	1,456	Suspension 57%
2004	897	Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 Vauxhall Vectras registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score