2019 Volkswagen Crafter — MOT failures & pass rate
1,947 MOT tests on the 2019 Volkswagen Crafter are in this dataset, and 87.7% of them passed. That is 3.2 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 15.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (5.7%) and brakes (3.9%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, headlamp aim and brake pads — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 62 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 15.9% versus 5.7%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 12.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 8.4% of tests failed in 2022 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 110 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.9% | 75 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 73 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.3% | 45 |
| 5 | Tyres | 2.0% | 39 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 30 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 62 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 58 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 39 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 35 |
| 5 | Wipers | 34 |
| 6 | Registration plates | 18 |
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 | 12.3% | 240 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.2% | 238 |
| 3 | Visibility | 6.7% | 130 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 128 |
| 5 | Other defects | 3.8% | 74 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 67 |
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 | 549 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 562 | 13.2% |
| 60-90k | 381 | 14.4% |
| 90-120k | 245 | 17.1% |
| 120-150k | 141 | 19.1% |
| 150k+ | 69 | 15.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 335 | 8.4% |
| 2023 | 383 | 11.8% |
| 2024 | 604 | 12.8% |
| 2025 | 603 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2019 Crafter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 5.7% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (3.9% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (3.8% 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 2019 Volkswagen Crafters pass their MOT?
87.7% of the 1,947 2019 Volkswagen Crafter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 12.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Volkswagen Crafter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 5.7% of tests, followed by brakes (3.9%).
Does the 2019 Crafter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 15.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,947 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.