2018 Volkswagen Amarok — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2018 Volkswagen Amarok passed 88.2% of its 15,535 recorded MOT tests. Against pick-up trucks of a similar age (14.2% fail rate), the 2018 Amarok comes out 2.4pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.2%) and emissions & environmental (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, brake pads and headlamp aim — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 628 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.4% once past 150k — 3.2× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 14.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 9.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 13.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.2% | 813 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 4.2% | 658 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 572 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.3% | 353 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.5% | 226 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.4% | 223 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 628 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 404 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 353 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 261 |
| 5 | Steering rack | 162 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 162 |
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 | 14.5% | 2,261 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 1,887 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.0% | 933 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.5% | 853 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.1% | 791 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 759 |
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 | 1,806 | 5.8% |
| 30-60k | 5,996 | 9.7% |
| 60-90k | 4,450 | 13.5% |
| 90-120k | 2,152 | 15.8% |
| 120-150k | 744 | 18.0% |
| 150k+ | 387 | 18.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,253 | 9.0% |
| 2022 | 3,161 | 9.8% |
| 2023 | 3,134 | 12.9% |
| 2024 | 3,082 | 13.8% |
| 2025 | 2,905 | 13.8% |
What to check before buying a 2018 Amarok
On a 2018 Amarok, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 5.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (5.2% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (4.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (3.7% 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 2018 Volkswagen Amaroks pass their MOT?
88.2% of the 15,535 2018 Volkswagen Amarok MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2018 Volkswagen Amarok?
Brakes, recorded in 5.2% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (4.2%).
Does the 2018 Amarok get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.8% in the 0-30k band to 18.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,535 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.