At a Glance
The Porsche Boxster has 4 identified common problems across 4 generations, with the 986 (1996-2004) being the most affected generation and brakes the most common problem category. Based on 569K MOT tests from DVSA data.
Problems are patterns in the DVSA data that occur significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average — confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read our DVSA MOT data methodology →
Below: generation-by-generation comparison of Porsche Boxster common problems, MOT failure types, and pass-rate data drawn from DVSA records. Click any generation to see fuel- and engine-specific fault patterns, mileage-banded repair guidance, and the most common MOT failures testers record.
MOT Tests & Failures by Generation
Porsche Boxster generations by MOT tests, failures, and identified problems from DVSA data
Hover over each bar for a full breakdown. Tap any bar to view that generation's problems.
Showing total MOT tests, failures, and known problems per make. Hover over each bar for a full breakdown.
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Browse Porsche Boxster Generations
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Most Common Porsche Boxster MOT Failures
Every reason Porsche Boxster vehicles fail their MOT, ranked by frequency. Select an individual year to see only that year’s failures, or stay on ‘All time’ for the combined picture across our 20 years of DVSA data. Scroll inside the table for the full list.
| # | Failure | % of failures |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyre tread depth below limit | 11.15% |
| 2 | Tyre condition | 6.01% |
| 3 | Coil spring broken or corroded | 5.45% |
| 4 | Brake disc or drum worn | 5.38% |
| 5 | Wiper blades deteriorated | 5.04% |
| 6 | Suspension joint or bush worn | 4.62% |
| 7 | Number plate lamp not working | 4.57% |
| 8 | Stop lamp not working | 4.22% |
| 9 | Catalytic converter efficiency low | 4.00% |
| 10 | Headlamp aim defect | 3.91% |
| 11 | Brake hydraulic component worn | 3.89% |
| 12 | Rigid brake pipe corroded or damaged | 3.73% |
| 13 | Spark ignition emissions above threshold | 3.64% |
| 14 | Windscreen washer not working | 2.92% |
| 15 | Front lamp not working | 2.70% |
| 16 | Brake performance below minimum | 2.56% |
| 17 | Headlamp fault | 2.40% |
| 18 | Track rod end worn | 2.09% |
| 19 | Position lamp not working | 1.94% |
| 20 | Driveshaft fault | 1.77% |
| 21 | Exhaust system fault | 1.73% |
| 22 | Rear lamp not working | 1.42% |
| 23 | Parking brake performance below minimum | 1.35% |
| 24 | Ball joint dust cover split | 1.22% |
| 25 | Indicator fault | 1.22% |
| 26 | Horn not working | 1.10% |
| 27 | Shock absorber worn or leaking | 0.88% |
| 28 | Windscreen damage affecting view | 0.84% |
| 29 | Airbag warning light on | 0.71% |
| 30 | Brake pads or linings worn | 0.67% |
| 31 | Fog lamp not working | 0.53% |
| 32 | ABS fault | 0.49% |
| 33 | Tyre valve stem damaged | 0.37% |
| 34 | Rear fog lamp not working | 0.36% |
| 35 | Steering rack fault | 0.35% |
| 36 | Fuel cap damaged or missing | 0.34% |
| 37 | Front suspension joint worn | 0.32% |
| 38 | Parking brake condition | 0.27% |
| 39 | Rear suspension fault | 0.22% |
| 40 | Power steering pipe or hose leaking | 0.16% |
| 41 | Front suspension fault | 0.14% |
| 42 | MacPherson strut worn | 0.14% |
| 43 | Battery loose or leaking | 0.13% |
| 44 | Electrical switch fault | 0.13% |
| 45 | Mirror damaged or missing | 0.13% |
| 46 | Wheel bearing worn | 0.13% |
| 47 | Brake fluid leak | 0.12% |
| 48 | Dashboard warning lamp fault | 0.11% |
| 49 | Seat belt condition | 0.11% |
| 50 | Flexible brake hose damaged | 0.10% |
| 51 | Suspension linkage fault | 0.10% |
| 52 | Brake lever fault | 0.10% |
| 53 | Anti-roll bar worn or corroded | 0.10% |
| 54 | Brake pedal fault | 0.10% |
| 55 | Tyre size or type not matched | 0.10% |
| 56 | Brake caliper fault | 0.09% |
| 57 | Engine oil leak | 0.09% |
| 58 | Compression ignition emissions above threshold | 0.08% |
| 59 | Bonnet catch or hinge fault | 0.08% |
| 60 | Electronic stability control fault | 0.08% |
| 61 | Headlamp levelling device fault | 0.07% |
| 62 | Suspension mounting corroded | 0.07% |
| 63 | Tyre pressure monitoring system fault | 0.06% |
| 64 | Brake fluid level low or contaminated | 0.05% |
| 65 | Brake fluid warning light on | 0.05% |
| 66 | Driver airbag fault | 0.05% |
| 67 | Steering arm worn | 0.04% |
| 68 | Body corrosion or damage | 0.04% |
| 69 | Headlamp washer not working | 0.04% |
| 70 | Suspension arm worn or corroded | 0.04% |
| 71 | Front passenger door fault | 0.04% |
| 72 | Handbrake lever fault | 0.04% |
| 73 | Propshaft fault | 0.04% |
| 74 | Vehicle structure corrosion | 0.04% |
| 75 | Chassis condition | 0.03% |
| 76 | Electrical wiring fault | 0.03% |
| 77 | Driver door fault | 0.03% |
| 78 | Exhaust leak | 0.03% |
| 79 | Rear fog lamp warning light fault | 0.03% |
| 80 | Brake cable, rod, lever or linkage fault | 0.02% |
| 81 | Dip switch fault | 0.02% |
| 82 | Steering operation fault | 0.02% |
| 83 | Steering free play excessive | 0.02% |
| 84 | Driver seat fault | 0.02% |
| 85 | Steering lock fault | 0.02% |
| 86 | Rear reflector damaged or missing | 0.02% |
| 87 | Drag link end worn | 0.02% |
| 88 | Electronic parking brake fault | 0.02% |
| 89 | Boot lid damaged or insecure | 0.01% |
| 90 | Handbrake cable fault | 0.01% |
| 91 | Power steering ram fault | 0.01% |
| 92 | Brake pedal movement restricted | 0.01% |
| 93 | Main beam warning light fault | 0.01% |
| 94 | Steering column fault | 0.01% |
| 95 | Hydraulic fluid leak | <0.01% |
| 96 | Hydraulic brake cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 97 | Passenger seat fault | <0.01% |
| 98 | Undertray damaged or missing | <0.01% |
| 99 | Brake air or vacuum system fault | <0.01% |
| 100 | Subframe corrosion or damage | <0.01% |
| 101 | Fuel pipe corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 102 | Bumper damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 103 | Full power hydraulic brake fault | <0.01% |
| 104 | Speedometer fault | <0.01% |
| 105 | Brake servo fault | <0.01% |
| 106 | Brake fluid reservoir fault | <0.01% |
| 107 | Electronic braking system fault | <0.01% |
| 108 | Suspension unit fault | <0.01% |
| 109 | Subframe mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 110 | Tie bar or rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 111 | Bonded suspension condition | <0.01% |
| 112 | Additional braking device fault | <0.01% |
| 113 | Steering wheel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 114 | Transmission oil leak | <0.01% |
| 115 | Body security fault | <0.01% |
| 116 | Reversing lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 117 | Brake valve fault | <0.01% |
| 118 | Passenger airbag fault | <0.01% |
| 119 | Vehicle floor corroded | <0.01% |
| 120 | Window damaged or won't operate | <0.01% |
| 121 | Brake back plate corroded or damaged | <0.01% |
| 122 | Electric power steering fault | <0.01% |
| 123 | Engine mounting worn or broken | <0.01% |
| 124 | Fuel hose damaged or leaking | <0.01% |
| 125 | Access panel damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 126 | CV joint worn | <0.01% |
| 127 | Semaphore indicator fault | <0.01% |
| 128 | Brake pressure or vacuum buildup insufficient | <0.01% |
| 129 | Mirror or camera fault | <0.01% |
| 130 | Outline marker lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 131 | Suspension rod worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 132 | King pin or swivel pin worn | <0.01% |
| 133 | Exhaust emissions above threshold (non-catalyst) | <0.01% |
| 134 | Hazard warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 135 | Seat belt pre-tensioner fault | <0.01% |
| 136 | Suspension retaining or locking device fault | <0.01% |
| 137 | Trailing arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 138 | Universal joint worn | <0.01% |
| 139 | Indicator warning light fault | <0.01% |
| 140 | Spring mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 141 | Steering lock stop fault | <0.01% |
| 142 | Suspension linkage attachment bracket or mounting corroded | <0.01% |
| 143 | Tailgate damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 144 | Torque or reaction arm worn | <0.01% |
| 145 | Front fog lamp not working | <0.01% |
| 146 | Halfshaft fault | <0.01% |
| 147 | Power steering pump fault | <0.01% |
| 148 | Reversing lamp switch fault | <0.01% |
| 149 | Seat belt anchorage fault | <0.01% |
| 150 | Steering intermediate drop arm worn | <0.01% |
| 151 | Wheel hub fault | <0.01% |
| 152 | Brake master cylinder fault | <0.01% |
| 153 | Brake stationary pin worn | <0.01% |
| 154 | Exhaust heat shield or sound insulation damaged | <0.01% |
| 155 | Fuel tank corroded or leaking | <0.01% |
| 156 | Load sensing valve fault | <0.01% |
| 157 | Loading door damaged or insecure | <0.01% |
| 158 | Radius arm worn or corroded | <0.01% |
| 159 | Steering box fault | <0.01% |
| 160 | Steering drive system fault | <0.01% |
| 161 | Steering shaft fault | <0.01% |
| 162 | Steering coupling worn | <0.01% |
Showing all 162 reasons — scroll inside the table for the full list.
Porsche Boxster MOT Failures by Category
Total MOT failure occurrences for the Porsche Boxster, grouped by category. Same data as the failures table above — just sliced by category instead of fault title. Hover a slice for the top failures in each category.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common Porsche Boxster problems?
Based on analysis of 569K Porsche Boxster MOT tests from DVSA data, we have 4 identified common problems across 4 generations. The most frequently flagged issue is "Spark ignition emissions above threshold". Brakes is the most common problem category.
Which Porsche Boxster generation has the most problems?
The Porsche Boxster 986 (1996-2004) (1996–2004) has the highest number of identified common problems (4). Click the generation card above for the full breakdown.
How is this data calculated?
We analyse anonymised DVSA MOT test records under the Open Government Licence. An issue is classified as a "Common Problem" when it occurs significantly more often on a specific model than the UK average, confirmed at 99% statistical confidence. Read the full methodology page for details.
Can I report a problem with my Porsche Boxster?
Yes — use the "Tell Us About Your Problem" form on this page. Your report helps other Porsche Boxster owners spot problems early. All submissions are reviewed before being added to the public database.
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