2016 Volkswagen Caddy — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 78,869 MOT tests, the 2016 Volkswagen Caddy recorded an 82.2% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (19.6% fail rate), the 2016 Caddy comes out 1.8pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 9.5% of all tests — 3.3 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, stop lamp and malfunction indicator lamp — pins and bushes alone was recorded 3,640 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.8% versus 11.2%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 2.5pp more often than petrol ones (17.8% vs 15.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 9.5% | 7,513 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.2% | 4,914 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.2% | 4,122 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.0% | 3,917 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 4.1% | 3,207 |
| 6 | Brakes | 4.0% | 3,144 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 3,640 |
| 2 | Stop lamp | 3,449 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 3,020 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 2,516 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 2,452 |
| 6 | Wipers | 2,166 |
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 | 25.0% | 19,704 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.4% | 16,079 |
| 3 | Suspension | 12.3% | 9,673 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 8.0% | 6,277 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.1% | 5,568 |
| 6 | Other defects | 5.2% | 4,125 |
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 | 4,845 | 11.2% |
| 30-60k | 21,458 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 24,038 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 15,353 | 19.0% |
| 120-150k | 7,553 | 20.2% |
| 150k+ | 5,606 | 20.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 78,117 | 17.8% |
| Petrol | 752 | 15.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15,656 | 16.0% |
| 2022 | 15,682 | 16.3% |
| 2023 | 15,853 | 18.1% |
| 2024 | 15,834 | 19.0% |
| 2025 | 15,844 | 19.5% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Caddy
On a 2016 Caddy, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 9.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (9.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.2% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (5.2% 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.
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 2016 Volkswagen Caddys pass their MOT?
82.2% of the 78,869 2016 Volkswagen Caddy MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volkswagen Caddy?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 9.5% of tests, followed by tyres (6.2%).
Does the 2016 Caddy get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.2% in the 0-30k band to 20.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 78,869 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.