2009 Vauxhall Combo — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 31,170 MOT tests, the 2009 Vauxhall Combo recorded a 69.6% pass rate. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 28.1%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 18.8% of tests against 15.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and ball joint — coil spring alone was recorded 2,380 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2009 Combo fails 29.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 33.1% at 150k+, a spread of only 4.0 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 26.9% fail against 30.5% for diesel, a 3.5-point gap across 31,170 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 35.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 29.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 31.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 18.8% | 5,857 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.6% | 4,863 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.4% | 3,256 |
| 4 | Tyres | 8.9% | 2,774 |
| 5 | Visibility | 8.4% | 2,613 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.1% | 2,206 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 2,380 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,126 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 1,745 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,582 |
| 5 | Washers | 1,572 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 1,476 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 35.3% | 11,017 |
| 2 | Brakes | 32.6% | 10,156 |
| 3 | Tyres | 32.0% | 9,971 |
| 4 | Other defects | 21.7% | 6,767 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 17.3% | 5,401 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 4,211 |
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 | 586 | 29.2% |
| 30-60k | 1,974 | 24.6% |
| 60-90k | 5,865 | 27.0% |
| 90-120k | 8,385 | 30.1% |
| 120-150k | 7,285 | 32.4% |
| 150k+ | 6,649 | 33.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 30,628 | 30.5% |
| Petrol | 542 | 26.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,796 | 29.3% |
| 2022 | 7,191 | 30.0% |
| 2023 | 6,337 | 30.0% |
| 2024 | 5,503 | 31.9% |
| 2025 | 4,343 | 31.8% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Combo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 18.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (18.8% 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 (15.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.4% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 2009 Vauxhall Combos pass their MOT?
69.6% of the 31,170 2009 Vauxhall Combo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 30.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Vauxhall Combo?
Suspension, recorded in 18.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.6%).
Does the 2009 Combo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 29.2% in the 0-30k band to 33.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 31,170 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.