Vauxhall Adam MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 9 model years and 353,383 tests, the Vauxhall Adam passes its MOT 81.4% of the time. Against city cars of a similar age (14.8% fail rate), the Adam comes out 3.8pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and visibility.
Best and worst Adam years
Ranked across Adam years with at least 1,000 tests. Older cars fail more simply because they are older — compare years close together in age before drawing conclusions.
What the MOT record shows
Not every year is equal — 88.6% of 2019 examples pass against 77.5% of 2013 ones.
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests against 5.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, shock absorbers and coil spring — track rod end alone was recorded 17,540 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 26.2% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Adam model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 288 | 80.2% | 19.8% | Suspension |
| 2013 | 48,553 | 77.5% | 22.5% | Suspension |
| 2014 | 83,590 | 78.6% | 21.4% | Suspension |
| 2015 | 66,253 | 80.8% | 19.2% | Suspension |
| 2016 | 57,197 | 81.9% | 18.1% | Suspension |
| 2017 | 44,328 | 84.1% | 15.9% | Suspension |
| 2018 | 31,374 | 86.4% | 13.6% | Visibility |
| 2019 | 21,799 | 88.6% | 11.4% | Visibility |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.7% | 30,794 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 18,616 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.8% | 16,955 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.7% | 16,633 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.8% | 13,420 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.7% | 13,120 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 6,216 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 4,337 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 17,540 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 16,489 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 13,891 |
| 4 | Wipers | 12,006 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 8,427 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 8,360 |
| 7 | Washers | 7,345 |
| 8 | Brake pads | 5,282 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 26.1% | 92,167 |
| 2 | Suspension | 20.3% | 71,625 |
| 3 | Brakes | 14.5% | 51,197 |
| 4 | Steering | 6.5% | 22,919 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.8% | 20,527 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 10,690 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 88,747 | 11.3% |
| 30-60k | 169,528 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 77,825 | 24.3% |
| 90-120k | 15,140 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 1,810 | 26.4% |
| 150k+ | 302 | 26.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 63,975 | 14.8% |
| 2022 | 70,261 | 16.0% |
| 2023 | 71,931 | 18.4% |
| 2024 | 72,492 | 20.3% |
| 2025 | 74,724 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a Vauxhall Adam
- Suspension (8.7% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Vauxhall Adam?
81.4% of the 353,383 Vauxhall Adam MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 18.6% fail rate, across model years 2012–2020.
What does the Vauxhall Adam most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 8.7% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.3%).
Which Adam years are best and worst for MOT results?
2019 has the best pass rate at 88.6% and 2013 the weakest at 77.5%, from 21,799 and 48,553 tests respectively.
How much does mileage affect Adam MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.3% for cars in the 0-30k band and 26.2% for 150k+, a 14.9-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 353,383 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.