2016 Volkswagen Crafter — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,480 MOT tests, the 2016 Volkswagen Crafter recorded an 82.4% pass rate. Against vans of a similar age (20.1% fail rate), the 2016 Crafter comes out 2.5pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (10.8%) and lighting & signalling (8.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are rbt (sp), rigid brake pipes and service brake performance — rbt (sp) alone was recorded 161 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 22.3% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 28.6% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 10.8% | 267 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 204 |
| 3 | Visibility | 4.4% | 109 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.6% | 90 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.2% | 54 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.2% | 54 |
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) | 161 |
| 2 | Rigid brake pipes | 72 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 71 |
| 4 | Wipers | 63 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 58 |
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 | 28.6% | 710 |
| 2 | Suspension | 17.7% | 440 |
| 3 | Tyres | 12.9% | 321 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.3% | 205 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 203 |
| 6 | Other defects | 8.0% | 198 |
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 | 133 | 6.8% |
| 30-60k | 490 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 641 | 16.2% |
| 90-120k | 539 | 20.6% |
| 120-150k | 336 | 22.6% |
| 150k+ | 341 | 22.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 355 | 16.6% |
| 2022 | 429 | 15.2% |
| 2023 | 454 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 613 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 629 | 20.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 Crafter
On a 2016 Crafter, brakes is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Brakes (10.8% 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 (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (4.4% 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
How many 2016 Volkswagen Crafters pass their MOT?
82.4% of the 2,480 2016 Volkswagen Crafter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volkswagen Crafter?
Brakes, recorded in 10.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.2%).
Does the 2016 Crafter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.8% in the 0-30k band to 22.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,480 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.