Volkswagen Beetle: lighting & signalling MOT failures
Of the 308,154 Volkswagen Beetle MOT tests in this dataset, 14.8% recorded at least one lighting & signalling failure. It shows up most on 1999 and 2002 cars.
Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair cost: £10–£150 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Lighting & signalling failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 371 | 21.6% |
| 2000 | 6,666 | 20.8% |
| 2001 | 9,434 | 20.7% |
| 2002 | 11,169 | 22.0% |
| 2003 | 21,435 | 20.3% |
| 2004 | 28,288 | 19.6% |
| 2005 | 24,215 | 18.7% |
| 2006 | 22,742 | 17.1% |
| 2007 | 21,094 | 17.8% |
| 2008 | 17,070 | 17.4% |
| 2009 | 12,124 | 16.9% |
| 2010 | 13,963 | 15.0% |
| 2011 | 4,393 | 14.1% |
| 2012 | 14,505 | 10.8% |
| 2013 | 28,433 | 10.1% |
| 2014 | 22,733 | 9.5% |
| 2015 | 20,200 | 7.4% |
| 2016 | 13,840 | 7.0% |
| 2017 | 8,859 | 6.0% |
| 2018 | 5,103 | 3.9% |
Methodology & source. 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.