2009 Toyota Yaris 1.4L Diesel · FV59 EBL

The 2009 Toyota Yaris holds a current MOT that passed on 16 July 2025 at 116,705 miles, yet the maintenance trend is clearly worsening rather than stable. The most recent pass was not clean. The tester flagged a brake pipe corroded and contaminated with grease or other material across the full length, a defect that suggests the braking system has not been properly inspected or cleaned in some time. That advisory sits against a backdrop of repeated structural corrosion failures only weeks earlier, indicating the car has moved from a pattern of neglect into a phase of urgent remediation. The mileage progression tells a story of very light recent use punctuated by a sharp jump. Between the June 2024 test at 103,681 miles and the July 2025 tests at 116,421 to 116,705 miles, the car covered roughly 13,000 miles in just over a year. That is nearly double the car’s historical average of around 6,865 miles per year. Such a spike can accelerate wear on consumables and expose latent weaknesses, particularly in components that had already been flagged as marginal in earlier years. The July 2025 failure at 116,558 miles is the most concerning entry. Both nearside and offside sills and rear inner sills were corroded to the point of significantly reduced structural rigidity, a serious defect under section 6.1.1(c)(i). The offside rear brake cable was left insecure, resting on the exhaust, and multiple brake hose ferrules showed excessive or slight corrosion. Fuel pipes were also corroded. These are not minor cosmetic issues. They point to a car that has spent time standing or driven in conditions that have attacked the underside, with repairs carried out reactively rather than preventatively. A buyer should focus the physical inspection on the underside and braking system. Check the sills, inner arches, and floor pan for fresh welding, filler, or cosmetic coverings that may hide the corrosion noted in July 2025. Examine all brake pipes, hose ferrules, and the offside rear brake cable routing for security and condition. Inspect front suspension arm bushes, which have been repeatedly flagged as worn, and verify the condition of front brake pads and calipers given the history of binding. The jump in mileage also warrants a close look at tyre condition, wheel bearings, and the exhaust system, particularly where the brake cable was found resting against it.