Volvo S80 common problems and MOT pass rate

In 2025, DVSA recorded 6,207 initial MOT tests on the Volvo S80 in Great Britain, and 69.0% passed first time. Here is where the rest failed.

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Volvo S80 at the MOT, 2025

Initial MOT tests: 6,207
Passed first timeAll cars and vans: 72.1%: 69.0%
Failed at firstIncluding 6.9% repaired at the test and passed (PRS): 31.0%
Had a dangerous defectAll cars and vans: 7.3%: 8.3%
Licensed in the UKEnd of 2026 Q2, plus 2,570 off the road (SORN): 5,421

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

Failure areas

Where the S80 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
14.1%
Headlamps and their aim, brake lights, indicators, fog and reversing lamps, warning lights, battery and wiringAll cars and vans: 10.8%
2Suspension
7.8%
Springs, shock absorbers, suspension arms and bushes, anti-roll bars, wheel bearings and axlesAll cars and vans: 9.0%
3Brakes
7.4%
Pedal and handbrake, pipes and hoses, discs, pads and drums, and how well the car stopsAll cars and vans: 6.4%
4Tyres
6.2%
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
4.1%
Corrosion and damage to the structure, the exhaust system, fuel system, doors, seats, towbar, bumpers and engine mountingsAll cars and vans: 3.3%
6Visibility
4.1%
The driver's view, windscreen damage, wipers, washers and mirrorsAll cars and vans: 4.4%
7Steering
3.7%
Steering rack, joints and linkages, power steering, the steering wheel and columnAll cars and vans: 2.0%
8Noise, emissions and leaks
2.6%
Exhaust emissions and smoke, exhaust noise and fluid leaksAll cars and vans: 3.2%
9Seat belts and airbags
1.0%
Seat belts, airbags and the airbag warning lightAll cars and vans: 1.0%
10Road wheels
0.5%
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.

Position lampsLamps and electrics4.9%
Headlamp aimLamps and electrics4.7%
ConditionTyres4.5%
Brake performanceBrakes3.7%
Anti-roll barsSuspension3.1%
Steering linkage componentsSteering2.8%
Suspension armsSuspension2.7%
Mechanical brake componentsBrakes2.6%

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
2015	383	77.5%	8.1%
2014	369	81.8%	5.7%
2013	399	74.4%	9.3%
2012	343	65.3%	9.6%
2011	390	71.8%	6.9%
2010	527	71.3%	8.5%
2009	405	71.4%	7.9%
2008	564	67.2%	6.9%
2007	642	66.8%	6.2%
2006	326	68.7%	8.6%
2005	360	63.3%	10.3%
2004	346	60.4%	12.1%
2003	344	63.4%	11.3%
2002	282	61.0%	9.6%

Mileage

S80 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
9 years	86,500 miles	342
10 years	92,200 miles	351
11 years	97,200 miles	370
12 years	107,800 miles	384
13 years	120,200 miles	366
14 years	126,800 miles	459
15 years	132,200 miles	476
16 years	134,100 miles	455
17 years	138,100 miles	598
18 years	135,500 miles	534
19 years	141,700 miles	292
20 years	128,500 miles	347
21 years	128,300 miles	376
22 years	122,200 miles	281

Checking a particular S80?

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 S80: common questions

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

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volvo S80?

In DVSA's 2025 test records, the area that failed most often on the Volvo S80 was lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 14.1% of initial tests had at least one fail or PRS item there, against 10.8% for all cars and vans. Next came suspension (7.8%) and brakes (7.4%).

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volvo S80?

69.0% of 6,207 initial MOT tests on the Volvo S80 in 2025 were a pass first time. Another 6.9% 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 S80 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. 8.3% of initial tests on the Volvo S80 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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