Volkswagen Camper-Van MOT pass rate & common failures
1,910 MOT tests on the Volkswagen Camper-Van (1980–2021) give it a 75.1% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (22.5% fail rate), the Camper-Van comes out 2.4pp worse. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 13.6% of all tests — 4.3 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are washers, wipers and headlamp aim — washers alone was recorded 99 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 23.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 28.1% once past 150k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 23.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 28.0% in 2021 to 22.5% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Camper-Van model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 31 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1981 | 37 | 73.0% | 27.0% | Suspension |
| 1982 | 82 | 64.6% | 35.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1983 | 69 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1985 | 37 | 75.7% | 24.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1986 | 38 | 71.0% | 28.9% | Suspension |
| 1987 | 77 | 72.7% | 27.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 76 | 79.0% | 21.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 159 | 77.4% | 22.6% | Visibility |
| 1991 | 109 | 76.1% | 23.8% | Brakes |
| 2002 | 32 | 78.1% | 21.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 43 | 67.4% | 32.6% | Emissions & environmental |
| 2004 | 78 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 38 | 81.6% | 18.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 129 | 62.8% | 37.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2007 | 96 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2008 | 78 | 78.2% | 21.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2009 | 78 | 78.2% | 21.8% | Brakes |
| 2010 | 65 | 76.9% | 23.1% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2011 | 92 | 82.6% | 17.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2012 | 74 | 67.6% | 32.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2013 | 36 | 75.0% | 25.0% | Visibility |
| 2018 | 39 | 79.5% | 20.5% | Suspension |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.6% | 260 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.3% | 178 |
| 3 | Visibility | 8.1% | 154 |
| 4 | Suspension | 7.8% | 148 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.3% | 120 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.3% | 101 |
| 7 | Steering | 3.8% | 73 |
| 8 | Tyres | 2.7% | 51 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 99 |
| 2 | Wipers | 87 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 83 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 83 |
| 5 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 81 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 72 |
| 7 | Rbt (sp) | 69 |
| 8 | Position lamp | 67 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 23.3% | 444 |
| 2 | Brakes | 21.7% | 414 |
| 3 | Tyres | 13.4% | 255 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 12.7% | 243 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 10.7% | 204 |
| 6 | Steering | 7.6% | 146 |
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 | 363 | 23.7% |
| 30-60k | 490 | 23.9% |
| 60-90k | 375 | 23.2% |
| 90-120k | 252 | 24.6% |
| 120-150k | 160 | 30.0% |
| 150k+ | 270 | 28.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 1,432 | 25.6% |
| Diesel | 471 | 22.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 460 | 28.0% |
| 2022 | 409 | 24.2% |
| 2023 | 380 | 24.2% |
| 2024 | 341 | 24.6% |
| 2025 | 320 | 22.5% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Camper-Van
- Lighting & signalling (13.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (9.3% 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.
- Visibility (8.1% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Camper-Van?
75.1% of the 1,910 Volkswagen Camper-Van MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 24.9% fail rate, across model years 1980–2021.
What does the Volkswagen Camper-Van most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.6% of tests, then brakes (9.3%).
How much does mileage affect Camper-Van MOT results?
Fail rates run at 23.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 28.1% for 150k+, a 4.5-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,910 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.