2019 Volkswagen Amarok — MOT failures & pass rate
12,272 MOT tests on the 2019 Volkswagen Amarok are in this dataset, and 89.3% of them passed. Pick-up trucks of a similar age fail 13.4% of the time, so this is 2.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, emissions & environmental and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (4.3%) and emissions & environmental (3.5%) 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 408 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 5.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 16.9% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 2.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 4.3% | 533 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 425 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.3% | 399 |
| 4 | Tyres | 2.7% | 334 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.2% | 147 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.1% | 138 |
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 | 408 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 274 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 244 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 138 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 118 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 114 |
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 | 15.4% | 1,892 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 1,532 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.9% | 604 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.5% | 556 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.5% | 547 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 462 |
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 | 2,092 | 5.1% |
| 30-60k | 5,191 | 9.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,185 | 13.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,227 | 13.9% |
| 120-150k | 416 | 18.8% |
| 150k+ | 160 | 16.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 128 | 2.3% |
| 2022 | 3,104 | 8.6% |
| 2023 | 3,124 | 10.0% |
| 2024 | 3,036 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 2,880 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Amarok
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (4.3% 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 (3.5% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
- Lighting & signalling (3.3% 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 2019 Volkswagen Amaroks pass their MOT?
89.3% of the 12,272 2019 Volkswagen Amarok MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 10.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Volkswagen Amarok?
Brakes, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by emissions & environmental (3.5%).
Does the 2019 Amarok get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.1% in the 0-30k band to 16.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 12,272 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.