2011 Volkswagen Crafter — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Volkswagen Crafter passed 77.8% of its 2,118 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (26.9% fail rate), the 2011 Crafter comes out 4.7pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (13.6%) and lighting & signalling (11.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), malfunction indicator lamp and rigid brake pipes — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 156 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 23.2% once past 150k.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 36.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 13.6% | 289 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 251 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 140 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.4% | 93 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.8% | 80 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.3% | 69 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rbt (sp) | 156 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 124 |
| 3 | Rigid brake pipes | 113 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 91 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 75 |
| 6 | Track rod end | 69 |
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 | 36.4% | 772 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.8% | 568 |
| 3 | Other defects | 21.1% | 446 |
| 4 | Tyres | 15.8% | 335 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.8% | 272 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 253 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 110 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 253 | 19.8% |
| 90-120k | 382 | 21.7% |
| 120-150k | 540 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 818 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 345 | 20.3% |
| 2022 | 407 | 22.4% |
| 2023 | 396 | 20.2% |
| 2024 | 491 | 22.0% |
| 2025 | 479 | 25.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Crafter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 13.6% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (13.6% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (6.6% 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
How many 2011 Volkswagen Crafters pass their MOT?
77.8% of the 2,118 2011 Volkswagen Crafter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Crafter?
Brakes, recorded in 13.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.8%).
Does the 2011 Crafter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.7% in the 30-60k band to 23.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,118 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.