2010 Volkswagen Jetta — MOT failures & pass rate
4,619 MOT tests on the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta are in this dataset, and 77.0% of them passed. That is 1.1 percentage points better than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 24.1%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 12.7% of tests against 9.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, linkage ball joint dust cover and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 304 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.2% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 22.2% of the time against 23.1% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 29.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 24.1% in 2021 to 22.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.7% | 586 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.2% | 425 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.2% | 332 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.3% | 246 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.4% | 158 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 155 |
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 | 304 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 173 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 172 |
| 4 | Ball joint dust cover | 146 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 142 |
| 6 | Rbt (sp) | 134 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 29.3% | 1,351 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.7% | 1,279 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.8% | 1,055 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 649 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.5% | 393 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 282 |
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 | 90 | 13.3% |
| 30-60k | 500 | 20.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,097 | 22.5% |
| 90-120k | 1,335 | 23.7% |
| 120-150k | 833 | 25.0% |
| 150k+ | 756 | 23.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,751 | 23.1% |
| Petrol | 868 | 22.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,130 | 24.1% |
| 2022 | 1,012 | 21.1% |
| 2023 | 959 | 24.6% |
| 2024 | 820 | 22.3% |
| 2025 | 698 | 22.4% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Jetta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 12.7% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (12.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.2% 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.
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 2010 Volkswagen Jettas pass their MOT?
77.0% of the 4,619 2010 Volkswagen Jetta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 23.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Volkswagen Jetta?
Suspension, recorded in 12.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.2%).
Does the 2010 Jetta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.3% in the 0-30k band to 23.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,619 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.