2018 Vauxhall Combo — MOT failures & pass rate
18,543 MOT tests on the 2018 Vauxhall Combo are in this dataset, and 80.4% of them passed. Against vans of a similar age (16.1% fail rate), the 2018 Combo comes out 3.5pp worse. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.9% of tests against 6.7% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and malfunction indicator lamp — coil spring alone was recorded 793 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.8% versus 13.5%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 17.6% fail against 19.7% for diesel, a 2.1-point gap across 18,543 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 17.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 2,202 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.7% | 1,247 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.1% | 1,138 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 807 |
| 5 | Brakes | 4.3% | 801 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.3% | 800 |
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 | 793 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 771 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 678 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 610 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 576 |
| 6 | Stop lamp | 473 |
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 | 24.0% | 4,442 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 2,531 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.2% | 1,512 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.4% | 1,364 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.0% | 1,122 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 1,057 |
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 | 3,887 | 13.5% |
| 30-60k | 7,047 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 4,720 | 22.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,032 | 23.8% |
| 120-150k | 648 | 25.5% |
| 150k+ | 206 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 17,334 | 19.7% |
| Petrol | 1,209 | 17.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,663 | 17.0% |
| 2022 | 3,794 | 19.3% |
| 2023 | 3,865 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 3,672 | 19.7% |
| 2025 | 3,549 | 20.6% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Combo
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 11.9% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (11.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (6.7% 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.
- Tyres (6.1% 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.
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 2018 Vauxhall Combos pass their MOT?
80.4% of the 18,543 2018 Vauxhall Combo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Vauxhall Combo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 11.9% of tests, followed by suspension (6.7%).
Does the 2018 Combo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.5% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 18,543 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.