Volvo S40 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 15,238 initial MOT tests on the Volvo S40 in Great Britain, and 57.7% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volvo S40 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 15,238
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 57.7%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.7% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 42.3%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 12.5%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 5,588 off the road (SORN): 12,681

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

Failure areas

Where the S40 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.

1Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
18.6%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
18.3%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
10.2%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
8.6%
Tread depth, cuts and bulges, the right size and type, valves and tyre pressure warning systemsAll cars and vans: 6.2%
5Body, chassis and structure
7.8%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Visibility
5.8%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Noise, emissions and leaks
4.8%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
8Steering
4.7%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.5%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Road wheels
0.7%
Damaged or loose wheels, wheel nuts and hubsAll cars and vans: 0.4%

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.

Suspension armsSuspension7.0%
Position lampsLamps and electrics6.4%
Anti-roll barsSuspension6.3%
ConditionTyres6.1%
Brake performanceBrakes5.9%
SpringsSuspension5.8%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics5.7%
TransmissionBody and structure5.0%

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
2012	1,219	59.7%	14.1%
2011	1,334	57.0%	15.1%
2010	1,688	58.6%	13.9%
2009	2,096	57.6%	12.9%
2008	2,443	57.9%	12.0%
2007	1,496	58.9%	11.7%
2006	1,334	60.3%	11.2%
2005	1,136	57.4%	10.4%
2004	901	54.8%	13.0%
2003	516	51.7%	13.2%
2002	345	53.0%	11.3%
2001	261	50.6%	11.1%

Mileage

S40 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
12 years	99,300 miles	548
13 years	106,000 miles	1,476
14 years	106,700 miles	1,430
15 years	106,400 miles	2,053
16 years	112,200 miles	1,994
17 years	112,800 miles	2,097
18 years	114,800 miles	1,404
19 years	112,500 miles	1,240
20 years	107,500 miles	1,005
21 years	97,300 miles	725
22 years	99,700 miles	399
23 years	98,800 miles	298

Checking a particular S40?

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

Volvo S40: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volvo S40?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volvo S40 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 18.6% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (18.3%) and brakes (10.2%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo S40?

57.7% of 15,238 initial MOT tests on the Volvo S40 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.7% 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 Volvo S40 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. 12.5% of initial tests on the Volvo S40 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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