2021 Vauxhall Vivaro — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Vauxhall Vivaro passed 84.8% of its 28,984 recorded MOT tests. That is 1.3 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 13.9%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (10.4%) and visibility (7.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, brake pads and headlamp aim — wipers alone was recorded 2,349 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.4% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.3pp more often than electric ones (15.4% vs 12.1%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 19.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 5.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 3,027 |
| 2 | Visibility | 7.8% | 2,259 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.0% | 1,445 |
| 4 | Tyres | 3.9% | 1,115 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.4% | 400 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 328 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 2,349 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 1,358 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,105 |
| 4 | Headlamp | 930 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 779 |
| 6 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 720 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 19.2% | 5,565 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.3% | 5,029 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.8% | 1,973 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.7% | 1,942 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 1,547 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 1,522 |
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 | 5,476 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 14,074 | 15.6% |
| 60-90k | 7,208 | 17.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,676 | 18.4% |
| 120-150k | 407 | 17.7% |
| 150k+ | 143 | 22.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 27,424 | 15.4% |
| Electric | 1,560 | 12.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 38 | 5.3% |
| 2022 | 105 | 6.7% |
| 2023 | 521 | 8.1% |
| 2024 | 14,183 | 15.3% |
| 2025 | 14,137 | 15.5% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Vivaro
On a 2021 Vivaro, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (10.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (7.8% 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.
- Brakes (5.0% 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 2021 Vauxhall Vivaros pass their MOT?
84.8% of the 28,984 2021 Vauxhall Vivaro MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Vauxhall Vivaro?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.4% of tests, followed by visibility (7.8%).
Does the 2021 Vivaro get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 22.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 28,984 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.