1991 Volkswagen Lt — MOT failures & pass rate
The 1991 Volkswagen Lt passed 67.6% of its 281 recorded MOT tests. That is 10.1 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.3%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 25.3% of all tests — 6.0 points clear of brakes, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, service brake performance and registration plate lamp(s) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 33 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 1991 Lt fails 29.8% of the time in the 90-120k band and 29.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.3 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 29.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 37.5% in 2021 to 32.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 25.3% | 71 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.2% | 54 |
| 3 | Visibility | 9.6% | 27 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.5% | 24 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 22 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.6% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 33 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 31 |
| 3 | Registration plate lamp(s) | 18 |
| 4 | Side repeaters | 17 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 17 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 15 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 29.9% | 84 |
| 2 | Emissions & environmental | 19.6% | 55 |
| 3 | Suspension | 18.5% | 52 |
| 4 | Steering | 17.8% | 50 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 17.4% | 49 |
| 6 | Tyres | 16.0% | 45 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 90-120k | 57 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 80 | 42.5% |
| 150k+ | 105 | 29.5% |
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 203 | 35.0% |
| Petrol | 78 | 25.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 48 | 37.5% |
| 2022 | 68 | 35.3% |
| 2023 | 59 | 35.6% |
| 2024 | 51 | 19.6% |
| 2025 | 55 | 32.7% |
What to check before buying a 1991 Lt
On a 1991 Lt, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 25.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (25.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (19.2% 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.
- Visibility (9.6% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£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 1991 Volkswagen Lts pass their MOT?
67.6% of the 281 1991 Volkswagen Lt MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 32.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1991 Volkswagen Lt?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 25.3% of tests, followed by brakes (19.2%).
Does the 1991 Lt get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 29.8% in the 90-120k band to 29.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 281 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.