Volkswagen Multivan MOT pass rate & common failures
The Volkswagen Multivan appears in 5,139 MOT tests spanning model years 1980–2025, and 87.2% of them passed. That is effectively the same as all cars of a similar age (13.1% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 8.1% of all tests — 3.5 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 component mounting prescribed areas — headlamp aim alone was recorded 307 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 30.4% versus 3.0%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 23.5pp more often than hybrid ones (27.2% vs 3.7%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 15.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.1% in 2021 to 8.3% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
Every Multivan model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 35 | 68.6% | 31.4% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1988 | 31 | 64.5% | 35.5% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1989 | 31 | 87.1% | 12.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1990 | 53 | 83.0% | 17.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1992 | 65 | 67.7% | 32.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1995 | 39 | 69.2% | 30.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 1996 | 58 | 67.2% | 32.8% | Brakes |
| 1997 | 171 | 63.2% | 36.8% | Brakes |
| 1998 | 237 | 69.6% | 30.4% | Brakes |
| 1999 | 238 | 71.0% | 29.0% | Brakes |
| 2000 | 134 | 72.4% | 27.6% | Suspension |
| 2001 | 132 | 68.9% | 31.1% | Body, structure & corrosion |
| 2002 | 91 | 68.1% | 31.9% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2003 | 80 | 78.8% | 21.3% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2005 | 56 | 73.2% | 26.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2006 | 44 | 77.3% | 22.7% | Suspension |
| 2007 | 54 | 79.6% | 20.4% | Suspension |
| 2009 | 32 | 71.9% | 28.1% | Suspension |
| 2010 | 62 | 80.7% | 19.4% | Suspension |
| 2011 | 50 | 82.0% | 18.0% | Suspension |
| 2022 | 496 | 92.5% | 7.5% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 2,025 | 96.4% | 3.6% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2024 | 658 | 98.2% | 1.8% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.1% | 417 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.6% | 238 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.2% | 217 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 3.4% | 172 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.0% | 156 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.8% | 144 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 108 |
| 8 | Steering | 1.8% | 92 |
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 | 307 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 127 |
| 3 | Component mounting prescribed areas | 111 |
| 4 | Washers | 88 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 75 |
| 6 | Rigid brake pipes | 65 |
| 7 | Wipers | 63 |
| 8 | Tread depth | 63 |
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 | 15.2% | 779 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.6% | 700 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.4% | 587 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 7.0% | 358 |
| 5 | Other defects | 6.4% | 328 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.1% | 314 |
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 | 1,438 | 3.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,401 | 5.6% |
| 60-90k | 579 | 9.2% |
| 90-120k | 248 | 20.6% |
| 120-150k | 241 | 24.9% |
| 150k+ | 1,230 | 30.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 3,025 | 3.7% |
| Diesel | 1,712 | 27.2% |
| Petrol | 402 | 20.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 423 | 29.1% |
| 2022 | 394 | 25.1% |
| 2023 | 407 | 24.8% |
| 2024 | 1,556 | 9.1% |
| 2025 | 2,359 | 8.3% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Multivan
- Lighting & signalling (8.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.6% 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.
- Suspension (4.2% 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.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Multivan?
87.2% of the 5,139 Volkswagen Multivan MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.8% fail rate, across model years 1980–2025.
What does the Volkswagen Multivan most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.1% of tests, then brakes (4.6%).
How much does mileage affect Multivan MOT results?
Fail rates run at 3.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 30.4% for 150k+, a 27.4-point difference.
Is the hybrid or diesel Multivan more reliable at MOT time?
On MOT-testable defects the hybrid fails 3.7% of the time against 27.2% for the diesel. This covers testable items only, not engine or gearbox reliability.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,139 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.