2009 Vauxhall Insignia 1.8L Petrol · DN09 XMY

A pattern of chassis and suspension corrosion, power steering seepage, and brake mechanical defects defines the recorded roadworthiness history of this 2009 Vauxhall Insignia, with the latest pass on 15 October 2025 issued alongside advisories for front tyre edge wear, an exhaust gas leak, and an offside rear coil spring corrosion advisory that has now recurred across three consecutive tests. The trend across the recorded tests is one of accumulating advisories rather than a clean sheet: the 2024 pass introduced a slightly damaged offside rear hydraulic brake caliper and a defective nearside wiper, while the 2023 pass recorded an inoperative registration plate lamp alongside the first appearance of the rear coil spring advisory. A Major defect failure on 24 August 2022 for a significantly weakened offside outer seat belt anchorage in the sill area is a notable structural concern, and a separate Major failure on 7 September 2020 was issued for parking brake efficiency below requirements combined with a seized offside rear brake cable with restricted free movement. Between these failures, the 2020 and 2021 tests passed with no recorded defects, demonstrating that the vehicle has periodically achieved a clean roadworthiness result but has not maintained that standard consistently. With 125,465 miles spread across 17 years, the recorded accumulation rate of roughly 7,380 miles per year sits close to the typical figure for a car of this age, though the test history shows that mileage progress has been uneven. A long gap separates the 2020 and 2021 tests from the 2022 cluster, and the repeated annual testing through 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 suggests steady use over the recent period. The combination of average annual mileage with two recorded Major defects and a steadily growing list of advisories points to a vehicle on which consumable and chassis components are progressing through their expected wear envelope, with brake, exhaust, and steering hydraulic items already showing age-related deterioration. A prospective buyer should give particular attention to the offside rear brake area, as the record documents both a seized brake cable with restricted free movement in 2020 and a slightly damaged hydraulic caliper in 2024; on a test drive, listen for scraping, dragging, or hot-smell from the offside rear after sustained driving, check for uneven handbrake pull on an incline, and feel for any rear bias instability under firm braking. The subframe and sill areas flagged in the 2022 advisories and the seat belt anchorage failure warrant a physical inspection underneath the vehicle, ideally with the car raised, looking for any progression of corrosion around the front and rear subframe mounting points, the sill jacking areas, and the seat belt anchor bolts, as the 2022 Major defect specifically identified strength reduction in the sill. The power steering rack seepage and corroded pipework recorded in 2022 should be re-examined for fresh fluid staining around the rack boots and pipe unions, and on the road any increase in steering effort, groaning noise on full lock, or a whining pump would warrant immediate further investigation. The recurring offside rear coil spring corrosion advisory across three consecutive tests indicates an ongoing structural item that has not been resolved, and on inspection the spring should be checked for visible pitting, flaking, or any loss of coil material, with the test drive conducted over broken road surfaces to detect any clonking or bottoming-out from the rear suspension. The exhaust minor gas leak advisory from 2025 and the 2020 rear mounting defect mean the exhaust system should be listened to at idle and on the overrun for any ticking, blowing sounds, or vibrations transmitted through the cabin, while the front tyres showing edge wear on both sides in consecutive tests suggest an alignment or suspension geometry issue that may need checking via a four-wheel alignment measurement. Finally, the persistent oil leak advisory from 2022 should be verified by inspecting the underside for fresh drips and checking for blue smoke on start-up, as a leak left unmonitored can mask more serious internal engine wear on a high-mileage diesel or petrol unit of this age.