Volkswagen Transporter MOT pass rate and common failures

67% of Volkswagen Transporter MOTs passed first time, below the 70% for all cars at the same ages.

67%passed first time (cars its age: 70%)
2.5mVolkswagen Transporter MOTs counted since May 2018
5,500typical miles a year at 10 years old

First-time pass rate by year registered

Each year's Volkswagen Transporters 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	Transporter	All cars	MOTs
2023	84%	87%	8k
2022	83%	88%	27k
2021	81%	86%	59k
2020	82%	86%	62k
2019	81%	85%	103k
2018	80%	83%	133k
2017	79%	82%	155k
2016	79%	80%	168k
2015	76%	77%	161k
2014	74%	74%	141k
2013	73%	71%	127k
2012	70%	68%	108k
2011	69%	65%	105k
2010	66%	62%	92k
2009	60%	61%	78k
2008	58%	58%	109k
2007	57%	58%	115k
2006	55%	57%	97k
2005	55%	56%	86k
2004	53%	56%	77k
2003	54%	57%	59k
2002	54%	57%	54k
2001	52%	59%	54k
2000	52%	61%	40k
1999	53%	64%	35k
1998	53%	65%	32k
1997	53%	66%	26k
1996	52%	66%	22k
1995	53%	67%	18k
1994	53%	68%	15k
1993	52%	68%	9k
1992	53%	69%	9k
1991	60%	70%	7k
1990	62%	71%	10k

Compare two years of the Transporter, 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 Transporter MOTs are left out.

Commonest reasons for failure

Coil spring fractured or brokenOther cars its age: 2.22.8
Drive shaft CV boot splitOther cars its age: 1.52.3
Wiper does not clear the windscreenOther cars its age: 2.42.2
Position lamp not workingOther cars its age: 2.52.2
Tyre tread below the legal limitOther cars its age: 2.42.0
Number plate lamp not workingOther cars its age: 1.32.0
Windscreen washer gives too little liquidOther cars its age: 1.41.9
Stop lamp (brake light) not workingOther cars its age: 2.21.8

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

Where it comes up more than other cars its age

Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirtFail. Other cars its age: 0.51.4
Exhaust emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limitFail. Other cars its age: 0.30.9
Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively wornFail. Other cars its age: 0.20.7
Seat belt buckle slightly damagedAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.10.7
Power steering pipe/hose slightly corrodedAdvisory. Other cars its age: 0.10.4
Brake hose excessively deterioratedFail. Other cars its age: 0.10.4

Out of every 100 Volkswagen Transporter 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: 9,500 at 3 years old, 3,500 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 Transporters in general, not a prediction for any one car. Spotted a mistake? Email fuzzyreguk@gmail.com.

Check a Volkswagen Transporter's MOT history

Every test and advisory, free, from the registration.