Volkswagen Transporter common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 339,990 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Transporter in Great Britain, and 68.6% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volkswagen Transporter at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 339,990
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 68.6%
Failed at firstIncluding 4.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 31.4%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 6.7%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 28,037 off the road (SORN): 342,244

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

Failure areas

Where the Transporter fails its MOT

The share of initial tests in 2025 with at least one fail or PRS item in each part of the MOT. A test can fail in more than one area, so these do not add up to the fail rate.

1Suspension
12.0%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
2Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
11.9%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
3Brakes
8.4%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
5.2%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Visibility
5.1%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
6Body, chassis and structure
5.0%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
3.9%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
2.8%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.6%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Registration plates and VIN
0.5%
Number plates and the vehicle identification numberAll cars and vans: 0.3%

This modelAll cars and vans

Parts

The parts that fail most

Share of initial tests with a fail or PRS item on each part, 2025.

Brake performanceBrakes3.8%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics3.8%
Exhaust emissionsEmissions and leaks3.7%
Suspension armsSuspension3.5%
ConditionTyres3.4%
SpringsSuspension3.4%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.4%
WashersVisibility2.9%

By age

Pass rate by year first used

Older cars fail more often, so compare a car with others of its year. Cars up to 25 years old; years with fewer than 250 tests are left out.

First used	Tests	Passed first time	Dangerous defect
2023	476	85.9%	5.0%
2022	14,824	83.3%	4.2%
2021	21,271	81.5%	4.7%
2020	16,230	80.3%	4.5%
2019	20,809	78.9%	4.3%
2018	22,387	76.9%	5.0%
2017	22,108	75.4%	5.1%
2016	21,387	74.5%	5.5%
2015	19,148	71.1%	6.1%
2014	16,690	69.1%	6.5%
2013	15,077	69.8%	7.1%
2012	12,934	67.2%	7.3%
2011	12,459	65.7%	6.7%
2010	10,990	63.4%	7.4%
2009	9,099	59.5%	7.5%
2008	12,793	58.3%	8.5%
2007	13,396	57.4%	8.0%
2006	11,255	55.7%	8.8%
2005	9,837	56.0%	9.2%
2004	8,883	55.0%	9.0%
2003	6,717	55.6%	9.4%
2002	6,170	55.7%	9.4%
2001	6,086	55.4%	10.5%
2000	4,442	55.8%	10.5%

Mileage

Transporter mileage by age

The median reading at the test: half the cars of that age had covered more, half less. Estimated from 1,000-mile bands, for cars up to 25 years old.

A car well above or below the typical figure is not a problem in itself, but the readings should rise steadily from one MOT to the next. A fall, or a long gap, is worth asking about.

Check a car's mileage record

Age at test	Median mileage	Readings
2 years	30,800 miles	11,788
3 years	38,900 miles	17,715
4 years	47,400 miles	18,267
5 years	55,300 miles	17,823
6 years	65,100 miles	21,179
7 years	73,600 miles	21,348
8 years	81,800 miles	21,386
9 years	90,600 miles	19,741
10 years	98,600 miles	18,222
11 years	110,900 miles	15,511
12 years	119,000 miles	14,219
13 years	127,600 miles	12,704
14 years	135,300 miles	11,841
15 years	138,600 miles	10,137
16 years	146,200 miles	10,161
17 years	156,000 miles	13,410
18 years	162,000 miles	12,418
19 years	168,400 miles	10,440
20 years	175,100 miles	9,684
21 years	177,200 miles	7,333
22 years	173,800 miles	6,485
23 years	179,000 miles	6,295
24 years	176,800 miles	5,069
25 years	177,600 miles	4,272

Checking a particular Transporter?

Averages tell you what to look at. The registration tells you about this car: every MOT since 2005 with its failures and advisories, each mileage reading, and whether it is taxed.

Questions

Volkswagen Transporter: common questions

Contains DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, year 2025.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Transporter?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volkswagen Transporter was suspension: 12.0% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 9.0% for all cars and vans. Next came lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (11.9%) and brakes (8.4%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Transporter?

68.6% of 339,990 initial MOT tests on the Volkswagen Transporter in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 4.7% passed after small repairs made at the test station within the hour (PRS). Across all cars and vans, 72.1% passed first time.

Does a lower pass rate mean the Volkswagen Transporter is unreliable?

Not on its own. MOT results depend on age, mileage and upkeep as much as on design, so a model with many older cars on the road will usually fail more often. The table by year compares cars of a similar age. What matters most is the record of the car you are looking at, so check its MOT history before you buy.

What counts as a dangerous defect?

One the tester judges to be a direct and immediate risk to road safety, or to have a serious impact on the environment. The car fails and should not be driven until it is repaired. 6.7% of initial tests on the Volkswagen Transporter found at least one, against 7.3% for all cars and vans.

Where do these figures come from?

From DVSA's anonymised MOT test data for 2025, published under the Open Government Licence. We count initial tests on cars and light vans in Great Britain, as DVSA does in its own statistics: retests, appeals and abandoned tests are left out, and so are advisories and minor defects.

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