2015 Vauxhall Ampera — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Vauxhall Ampera passed 84.1% of its 555 recorded MOT tests. All cars of a similar age fail at 16.5%, so the 2015 Ampera sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (7.9%) and tyres (5.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, malfunction indicator lamp and side repeaters — headlamp aim alone was recorded 24 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 10.0% in the 0-30k band and 25.5% in the 120-150k band, a 15.5-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 27.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 12.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 7.9% | 44 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.6% | 31 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 4.0% | 22 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.1% | 17 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 14 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.2% | 12 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 24 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 22 |
| 3 | Side repeaters | 21 |
| 4 | Joints | 14 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 12 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 10 |
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 | 27.8% | 154 |
| 2 | Brakes | 24.9% | 138 |
| 3 | Other defects | 9.9% | 55 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.8% | 43 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.9% | 38 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.8% | 32 |
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 | 30 | 10.0% |
| 30-60k | 159 | 11.3% |
| 60-90k | 176 | 17.6% |
| 90-120k | 128 | 17.2% |
| 120-150k | 51 | 25.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 111 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 111 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 104 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 117 | 20.5% |
| 2025 | 112 | 17.9% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Ampera
On a 2015 Ampera, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.9% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (7.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.6% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Emissions & environmental (4.0% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2015 Vauxhall Amperas pass their MOT?
84.1% of the 555 2015 Vauxhall Ampera MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Vauxhall Ampera?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 7.9% of tests, followed by tyres (5.6%).
Does the 2015 Ampera get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.5% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 555 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.