2015 Volkswagen Jetta — MOT failures & pass rate
7,167 MOT tests on the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta are in this dataset, and 81.4% of them passed. Small family cars of a similar age fail 15.4% of the time, so this is 3.2pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 10.3% of all tests — 4.9 points clear of tyres, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and malfunction indicator lamp — pins and bushes alone was recorded 491 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 13.4% in the 0-30k band and 19.9% in the 150k+ band, a 6.4-point spread.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.7pp more often than petrol ones (19.3% vs 15.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 22.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 16.5% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.3% | 736 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.4% | 387 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.3% | 310 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 286 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.5% | 248 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.1% | 148 |
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 | 491 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 335 |
| 3 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 237 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 192 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 184 |
| 6 | Service brake performance | 112 |
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 | 22.7% | 1,625 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.8% | 1,417 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.7% | 1,053 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.0% | 505 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.0% | 214 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.2% | 155 |
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 | 589 | 13.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,642 | 16.7% |
| 60-90k | 2,174 | 20.4% |
| 90-120k | 912 | 19.7% |
| 120-150k | 436 | 24.5% |
| 150k+ | 413 | 19.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,784 | 19.3% |
| Petrol | 1,383 | 15.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,541 | 16.5% |
| 2022 | 1,483 | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 1,436 | 18.7% |
| 2024 | 1,392 | 20.4% |
| 2025 | 1,315 | 20.5% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Jetta
On a 2015 Jetta, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 10.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (10.3% 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 (5.4% 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 (4.3% 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 2015 Volkswagen Jettas pass their MOT?
81.4% of the 7,167 2015 Volkswagen Jetta MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta?
Suspension, recorded in 10.3% of tests, followed by tyres (5.4%).
Does the 2015 Jetta get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.4% in the 0-30k band to 19.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,167 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.