Volkswagen Passat MOT pass rate and common failures

70% of Volkswagen Passat MOTs passed first time, about the same as 69% for all cars at the same ages.

70%passed first time (cars its age: 69%)
1.9mVolkswagen Passat MOTs counted since May 2018
7,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Volkswagen Passats against every car first registered the same year, at the same ages. Newer cars have only had their first few MOTs, so they look better. Years with fewer than 5,000 MOTs are left out.

Share of MOTs passed first time, by year first registered. All cars: every car first registered that year, at the same ages.
Registered	Passat	All cars	MOTs
2021	88%	86%	11k
2020	88%	86%	23k
2019	86%	85%	38k
2018	84%	84%	67k
2017	84%	83%	105k
2016	82%	80%	129k
2015	80%	78%	145k
2014	75%	74%	137k
2013	73%	71%	114k
2012	70%	68%	135k
2011	68%	65%	162k
2010	65%	63%	115k
2009	64%	61%	123k
2008	62%	59%	113k
2007	60%	58%	115k
2006	56%	56%	88k
2005	57%	55%	67k
2004	57%	55%	54k
2003	56%	55%	47k
2002	54%	55%	32k
2001	53%	57%	18k
2000	51%	59%	9k
1999	51%	61%	7k
1998	53%	63%	5k

Compare two years of the Passat, age for age.

First-time pass rate by age

Share of MOTs at each age that passed first time. Ages with fewer than 10,000 Volkswagen Passat MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.73.6
Coil spring fractured or brokenOther cars its age: 2.73.3
Suspension arm pin or bush excessively wornOther cars its age: 1.32.7
Tyre has ply or cords exposedOther cars its age: 1.32.6
Drive shaft CV boot splitOther cars its age: 1.62.6
Brake pads less than 1.5mm thickOther cars its age: 1.91.9
Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrectOther cars its age: 1.41.7
Shock absorber has a serious fluid leakOther cars its age: 1.01.7

Out of every 100 Volkswagen Passat MOTs, against other cars at the same ages.

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Other passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicleFail. Other cars its age: 0.10.3
Electronic parking brake warning indicates a malfunctionFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.3
Passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicleFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.2
Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicleFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.2
Body panel corroded and likely to cause injuryFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.2
Electronic power steering warning lamp indicates a system malfunctionFail. Other cars its age: 0.00.1

Out of every 100 Volkswagen Passat MOTs. Only items noted well above other cars of the same ages.

Miles a year

Typical miles a year between one MOT and the next: 10,500 at 3 years old, 4,500 at 20. Rounded to the nearest 1,000.

Counted from DVSA records of 286,058,652 MOTs, 20 May 2018 to 18 October 2026. A test and its retests count as one MOT, and a fail put right at the test counts as a first-time fail, as the DVSA counts it. About Volkswagen Passats in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Volkswagen Passat's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.