Reliability report
Porsche 911 reliability and common faults
Based on 55,159 roadworthiness tests, led by the UK MOT. Each country is compared only with its own average for cars of the same age.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · MOT
9.8%
fail rate · average 28.7%
much better than average
45,716 MOT tests (DVSA)
🇳🇱 Netherlands · APK
31.3%
with defects · average 62.3%
much better than average
8,334 APK inspections (RDW)
🇱🇹 Lithuania · inspection
71.3%
first-time pass · average 56.1%
much better than average
1,109 inspections
Testing regimes differ from country to country – don’t compare the figures between countries; compare each one only with its own average. MOT data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Weak spots
What goes wrong on the Porsche 911
How often each area fails compared with the average car of the same age (vertical line = average, 100%). Red – more often than average.
Plates and identification
Tyres
Visibility
Exhaust and emissions
Lights and electrics
Wheels
Seat belts and airbags
Body and structure
Brakes
Steering
Suspension
Driving controls
Most common test failures
- 1Tyre pressure not at correct value
- 2Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm
- 3Low beam incorrectly adjusted
- 4Excessive leakage of other fluids
- 5Driveshaft boot damaged and not sealing
- 6Sidelight not working (properly)
- 7Tyre damaged
- 8Windscreen wiper system gives insufficient visibility
- 9Tyre insufficient tread
- 10Number plate light doesn't work (properly) / missing
- 11Steering or steering knuckle ball joint with wear of 1.0 mm or less
- 12Airbag / seatbelt system warning light indicates a fault
Results by vehicle age
| Age | 🇬🇧 MOT fail rate | 🇳🇱 APK defects |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years | 3.0% avg 9.9% | 17.6% avg 27.0% |
| 6–8 years | 4.7% avg 15.3% | 20.7% avg 36.7% |
| 9–11 years | 5.1% avg 22.9% | 19.7% avg 44.4% |
| 12–15 years | 6.5% avg 30.3% | 21.7% avg 55.4% |
| 16–20 years | 10.6% avg 34.6% | 27.7% avg 64.7% |
| 21+ years | 13.6% avg 31.4% | 37.1% avg 68.4% |
🇱🇹 First-time pass rate in Lithuania – by year of manufacture
| Year | 911 | Average for year | Inspections |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 96.9% | 86.7% | 32 |
| 2019 | 82.6% | 83.2% | 46 |
| 2017 | 69.4% | 76.6% | 36 |
| 2016 | 83.3% | 72.8% | 36 |
| 2015 | 85.7% | 71.1% | 49 |
| 2014 | 80.2% | 68.0% | 86 |
| 2013 | 68.8% | 65.9% | 80 |
| 2012 | 83.8% | 63.7% | 37 |
| 2009 | 76.5% | 54.5% | 51 |
| 2008 | 75.7% | 52.4% | 70 |
| 2007 | 74.4% | 50.6% | 90 |
| 2006 | 61.9% | 48.7% | 63 |
| 2003 | 67.7% | 42.9% | 31 |
| 2002 | 55.4% | 42.0% | 65 |
| 2001 | 47.4% | 40.9% | 38 |
Porsche 911 – FAQs
How reliable is the Porsche 911?+
In the UK the Porsche 911 fails 9.8% of MOT tests, against an average of 28.7% for cars of the same age – much better than average. In the Netherlands, inspectors found defects at 31.3% of APK inspections (average there 62.3%) – much better than average. In Lithuania 71.3% pass their roadworthiness test first time (average for those years there 56.1%) – much better than average.
What should I check when buying a used Porsche 911?+
The most common inspection failures: Tyre pressure not at correct value; Tyre(s) with tread depth of 1.6 to 2.5 mm; Low beam incorrectly adjusted; Excessive leakage of other fluids; Driveshaft boot damaged and not sealing. Before you buy, also check the free MOT history on GOV.UK and the car’s history by reg or VIN (mileage, damage, theft).
More Porsche models
Sources: anonymised MOT test results (DVSA) – contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0; APK inspection defects (RDW, open data); Lithuanian roadworthiness test results (data.gov.lt). Initial tests only; retests are not counted. Photo: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons (licence).