2019 Vauxhall Combo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Vauxhall Combo passed 83.8% of its 75,938 recorded MOT tests. Vans of a similar age fail at 15.2%, so the 2019 Combo sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.3%) and visibility (8.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, headlamp aim and brake pads — wipers alone was recorded 5,447 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 11.1% in the 0-30k band and 19.9% in the 150k+ band, a 8.7-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.4pp more often than petrol ones (16.7% vs 11.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 23.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 13.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 16.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.3% | 7,825 |
| 2 | Visibility | 8.3% | 6,278 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.4% | 4,079 |
| 4 | Tyres | 4.5% | 3,399 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.8% | 1,399 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.7% | 1,255 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 5,447 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4,399 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 3,291 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 2,454 |
| 5 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 2,291 |
| 6 | Washers | 2,242 |
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 | 23.3% | 17,699 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.7% | 13,442 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 6,045 |
| 4 | Visibility | 6.0% | 4,589 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.7% | 4,351 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.2% | 3,166 |
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 | 19,121 | 11.1% |
| 30-60k | 32,831 | 17.2% |
| 60-90k | 17,055 | 18.7% |
| 90-120k | 5,337 | 19.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,198 | 19.3% |
| 150k+ | 388 | 19.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 68,240 | 16.7% |
| Petrol | 7,698 | 11.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 411 | 13.6% |
| 2022 | 18,895 | 15.3% |
| 2023 | 19,430 | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 18,807 | 16.2% |
| 2025 | 18,395 | 16.3% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Combo
On a 2019 Combo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (8.3% 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.
- Brakes (5.4% 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 2019 Vauxhall Combos pass their MOT?
83.8% of the 75,938 2019 Vauxhall Combo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Vauxhall Combo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.3% of tests, followed by visibility (8.3%).
Does the 2019 Combo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.1% in the 0-30k band to 19.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 75,938 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.