2014 Volkswagen Amarok — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Volkswagen Amarok passed 82.0% of its 13,655 recorded MOT tests. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 21.1% of the time, so this is 3.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.8%) and brakes (7.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, shock absorbers and service brake performance — coil spring alone was recorded 517 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 8.5% in the 0-30k band and 22.6% in the 150k+ band, a 14.1-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 19.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.8% | 1,071 |
| 2 | Brakes | 7.8% | 1,070 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 7.5% | 1,023 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.5% | 344 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 319 |
| 6 | Steering | 1.6% | 214 |
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 | 517 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 486 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 403 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 384 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 353 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 325 |
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 | 19.3% | 2,636 |
| 2 | Tyres | 17.7% | 2,419 |
| 3 | Brakes | 12.6% | 1,715 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.6% | 905 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.8% | 797 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.4% | 737 |
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 | 130 | 8.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,391 | 11.1% |
| 60-90k | 3,908 | 15.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,999 | 18.3% |
| 120-150k | 2,406 | 21.6% |
| 150k+ | 1,820 | 22.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,709 | 14.9% |
| 2022 | 2,766 | 16.6% |
| 2023 | 2,768 | 18.4% |
| 2024 | 2,824 | 20.6% |
| 2025 | 2,588 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Amarok
On a 2014 Amarok, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.8% 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.
- Brakes (7.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (7.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2014 Volkswagen Amaroks pass their MOT?
82.0% of the 13,655 2014 Volkswagen Amarok MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volkswagen Amarok?
Suspension, recorded in 7.8% of tests, followed by brakes (7.8%).
Does the 2014 Amarok get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.5% in the 0-30k band to 22.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,655 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.