Volkswagen Crafter Cr35 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 7 model years and 1,451 tests, the Volkswagen Crafter Cr35 passes its MOT 90.2% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail at 9.6%, so the Crafter Cr35 sits squarely on the average. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.6%) and tyres (2.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, joints and malfunction indicator lamp — headlamp aim alone was recorded 38 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 12.1% versus 3.5%.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 11.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 11.1% in 2021 to 8.6% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Crafter Cr35 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 195 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Tyres |
| 2019 | 191 | 90.6% | 9.4% | Brakes |
| 2020 | 601 | 87.2% | 12.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2021 | 264 | 92.8% | 7.2% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 191 | 92.7% | 7.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.6% | 67 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.3% | 34 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 32 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.2% | 32 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.1% | 31 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.5% | 21 |
| 7 | Suspension | 0.5% | 8 |
| 8 | Other defects | 0.4% | 6 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 38 |
| 2 | Joints | 26 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 23 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 19 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 18 |
| 6 | Wipers | 15 |
| 7 | Brake pads | 15 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 11 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.3% | 164 |
| 2 | Tyres | 9.2% | 134 |
| 3 | Visibility | 5.4% | 79 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 49 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.3% | 48 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.8% | 41 |
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 | 377 | 3.5% |
| 30-60k | 526 | 10.1% |
| 60-90k | 316 | 13.6% |
| 90-120k | 118 | 11.9% |
| 120-150k | 81 | 18.5% |
| 150k+ | 33 | 12.1% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 36 | 11.1% |
| 2022 | 63 | 4.8% |
| 2023 | 202 | 9.4% |
| 2024 | 491 | 12.0% |
| 2025 | 659 | 8.6% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Crafter Cr35
- Lighting & signalling (4.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.3% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (2.2% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 Crafter Cr35?
90.2% of the 1,451 Volkswagen Crafter Cr35 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.8% fail rate, across model years 2018–2024.
What does the Volkswagen Crafter Cr35 most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.6% of tests, then tyres (2.3%).
How much does mileage affect Crafter Cr35 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.5% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.1% for 150k+, a 8.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,451 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.