General Motors Pontiac Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free General Motors Pontiac car check
Is the General Motors Pontiac reliable? We analysed 3,114 real MOT tests across 386 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific General Motors Pontiac? Enter the reg for a free check:
The General Motors Pontiac is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid and brake pipe excessively corroded. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used General Motors Pontiac.
General Motors Pontiac Number Plates
Number plates registered to a General Motors Pontiac. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
General Motors Pontiac MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a General Motors Pontiac to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
General Motors Pontiac Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a General Motors Pontiac fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
General Motors Pontiac Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical General Motors Pontiac owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
General Motors Pontiac MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the General Motors Pontiac year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 176 | 80.7% | 21,544 | 43,825 | 75,962 |
| 2001 | 63 | 81.0% | 53,902 | 58,295 | 95,612 |
| 2000 | 85 | 82.4% | 62,520 | 74,908 | 170,935 |
| 1999 | 98 | 79.6% | 34,805 | 91,026 | 115,302 |
| 1998 | 69 | 88.4% | 29,366 | 38,882 | 72,768 |
| 1997 | 132 | 84.1% | 44,564 | 69,922 | 121,942 |
| 1996 | 136 | 80.1% | 71,049 | 117,082 | 166,885 |
| 1995 | 357 | 76.8% | 62,061 | 102,677 | 146,358 |
| 1994 | 174 | 74.1% | 39,634 | 56,038 | 96,862 |
| 1993 | 109 | 69.7% | 70,316 | 78,319 | 154,566 |
| 1992 | 156 | 73.7% | 81,586 | 106,561 | 131,521 |
| 1991 | 110 | 80.9% | 67,346 | 104,902 | 147,856 |
| 1990 | 122 | 77.9% | 95,351 | 105,482 | 116,337 |
| 1989 | 162 | 80.2% | 46,902 | 70,092 | 104,354 |
| 1988 | 178 | 81.5% | 72,136 | 79,715 | 104,181 |
| 1987 | 146 | 80.1% | 57,223 | 71,061 | 99,491 |
| 1986 | 88 | 70.5% | 43,237 | 67,608 | 115,698 |
| 1985 | 82 | 73.2% | 19,127 | 52,793 | 90,546 |
| 1982 | 75 | 84.0% | 57,550 | 80,911 | 93,726 |
| 1980 | 55 | 92.7% | 72,893 | 84,845 | 90,536 |
How Long Does a General Motors Pontiac Last?
Based on 386 General Motors Pontiac vehicles on UK roads.
General Motors Pontiac Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all General Motors Pontiac MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used General Motors Pontiac
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
92.7% MOT pass rate from 55 tests
69.7% MOT pass rate from 109 tests
The best year to buy a used General Motors Pontiac is 1980, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 92.7% across 55 tests. The 1993 model year has the lowest pass rate at 69.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the General Motors Pontiac Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Motors Pontiac THIS CAR | 78.3% | 3,114 | 74,731 mi | 47 yrs |
| General Motors Cadillac | 75.7% | 10,952 | 60,944 mi | 27 yrs |
| General Motors Chevrolet | 78.8% | 10,021 | 58,749 mi | 48 yrs |
| General Motors Corvette | 83.3% | 1,057 | 56,167 mi | 37 yrs |
| Mercedes-benz C 220 AMG Line ED Prem D A | 87.7% | 971 | 35,877 mi | — yrs |
Compared to the General Motors Cadillac (75.7% pass rate) and the General Motors Chevrolet (78.8% pass rate), the General Motors Pontiac sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.
Found a General Motors Pontiac you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific General Motors PontiacShould you buy a used General Motors Pontiac?
The General Motors Pontiac has an overall MOT pass rate of 78.3% across 3,114 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
The most common problems on the General Motors Pontiac are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (97 recorded failures), windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (62), and brake pipe excessively corroded (61). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.
A typical General Motors Pontiac owner drives around 772 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.
In terms of longevity, most General Motors Pontiac models stay on UK roads for around 47 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.
Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.