2013 Volkswagen Golf — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 327,079 MOT tests, the 2013 Volkswagen Golf recorded an 84.3% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 19.4% of the time, so this is 3.7pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.3%) and tyres (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and shock absorbers — coil spring alone was recorded 12,315 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 7.9% in the 0-30k band and 19.9% in the 150k+ band, a 12.0-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.0pp more often than petrol ones (16.7% vs 13.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.3% | 20,649 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.7% | 18,472 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 4.7% | 15,356 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.9% | 12,875 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.4% | 7,977 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 6,540 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 12,315 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 8,971 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 8,811 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 7,167 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 5,964 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 5,248 |
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 | 25.9% | 84,717 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.2% | 82,298 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.7% | 64,416 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.2% | 23,538 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.1% | 13,411 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.0% | 9,862 |
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 | 9,450 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 64,737 | 11.7% |
| 60-90k | 113,887 | 15.5% |
| 90-120k | 85,455 | 17.8% |
| 120-150k | 37,666 | 18.7% |
| 150k+ | 15,829 | 19.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 220,647 | 16.7% |
| Petrol | 106,429 | 13.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 65,967 | 14.5% |
| 2022 | 65,691 | 14.9% |
| 2023 | 65,680 | 15.8% |
| 2024 | 65,184 | 16.4% |
| 2025 | 64,557 | 17.0% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Golf
On a 2013 Golf, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 6.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (6.3% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (5.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2013 Volkswagen Golfs pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 327,079 2013 Volkswagen Golf MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Volkswagen Golf?
Suspension, recorded in 6.3% of tests, followed by tyres (5.7%).
Does the 2013 Golf get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 19.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 327,079 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.