2014 Volkswagen Jetta — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Volkswagen Jetta passed 79.6% of its 6,494 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 17.3% of the time, so this is 3.1pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests against 5.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 423 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2014 Jetta fails 15.4% of the time in the 0-30k band and 19.3% at 150k+, a spread of only 4.0 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 11.8% | 763 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.6% | 366 |
| 3 | Brakes | 5.5% | 360 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 5.5% | 359 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 140 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 134 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 423 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 386 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 191 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 170 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 169 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 122 |
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 | 24.4% | 1,583 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.5% | 1,463 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.1% | 1,178 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.3% | 475 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.4% | 219 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.7% | 176 |
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 | 306 | 15.4% |
| 30-60k | 1,602 | 17.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,180 | 21.3% |
| 90-120k | 1,343 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 544 | 23.5% |
| 150k+ | 518 | 19.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 6,195 | 20.6% |
| Petrol | 299 | 16.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,422 | 18.4% |
| 2022 | 1,358 | 18.9% |
| 2023 | 1,331 | 21.3% |
| 2024 | 1,244 | 22.7% |
| 2025 | 1,139 | 21.3% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Jetta
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 11.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (11.8% 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 (5.6% 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.
- Brakes (5.5% 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 2014 Volkswagen Jettas pass their MOT?
79.6% of the 6,494 2014 Volkswagen Jetta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 20.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volkswagen Jetta?
Suspension, recorded in 11.8% of tests, followed by tyres (5.6%).
Does the 2014 Jetta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 15.4% in the 0-30k band to 19.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,494 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.