2016 Volkswagen California — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Volkswagen California passed 86.8% of its 4,824 recorded MOT tests. Against all cars of a similar age (14.6% fail rate), the 2016 California comes out 1.4pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (5.9%) and tyres (4.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 213 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 18.8% versus 7.9%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 15.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.9% | 284 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.3% | 205 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.3% | 158 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 128 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 60 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.2% | 56 |
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 | 213 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 137 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 79 |
| 4 | Anti-lock braking system | 67 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 62 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 48 |
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 | 17.7% | 853 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.5% | 748 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.8% | 426 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.4% | 259 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.3% | 161 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 0.9% | 46 |
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 | 1,030 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 2,522 | 12.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,048 | 18.2% |
| 90-120k | 165 | 17.6% |
| 120-150k | 32 | 18.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 937 | 10.3% |
| 2022 | 942 | 11.3% |
| 2023 | 968 | 13.5% |
| 2024 | 985 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 992 | 15.3% |
What to check before buying a 2016 California
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 5.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (5.9% 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.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
- Brakes (3.3% 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.
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 Californias pass their MOT?
86.8% of the 4,824 2016 Volkswagen California MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volkswagen California?
Suspension, recorded in 5.9% of tests, followed by tyres (4.3%).
Does the 2016 California get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 18.8% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,824 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.