Diesel DS Ds3: MOT pass rate

67.6% of diesel DS Ds3s pass the MOT first time, measured across 9,205 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 67,428.

Diesel against the other DS Ds3 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the DS Ds3 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 77.8%, and this diesel version sits 7.4 points below the 75% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel DS Ds3 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel DS Ds3 had covered 67,428 miles at test, against 44,797 for the petrol. That is a shade above the middle of the range, still ordinary wear rather than a red flag, but worth checking against the service book for the car's age.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the DS Ds3 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel DS Ds3

1. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 14.4% of tests (9.37x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.7% of tests (3.43x the national rate for this defect)
3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7.3% of tests (3.22x the national rate for this defect)
4. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 2.7% of tests (2.69x the national rate for this defect)
5. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.2% of tests (2.44x the national rate for this defect)
6. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 2.1% of tests (1.73x the national rate for this defect)
7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 5.5% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.5% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 2.7% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.4% of tests (1.42x the national rate for this defect)

From 9,267 DVSA-tracked diesel DS Ds3 tests, 2024, split out from the DS Ds3's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.96% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel DS Ds3

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 12.5% of tests (4.38x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.3% of tests (2.51x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 28.6% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 7.1% of tests (2.24x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.3% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this defect)
6. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.6% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
7. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 1.7% of tests (1.3x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 32.3% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 17.2% of tests
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 11.7% of tests

From 9,267 DVSA-tracked diesel DS Ds3 tests, 2024.

Other DS Ds3 fuel types

• Petrol DS Ds3 - 77.8%

All DS Ds3 MOT data · Every model