2007 Volkswagen Passat — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 Volkswagen Passat passed 73.7% of its 69,461 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (26.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.6%) and lighting & signalling (11.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and joints — coil spring alone was recorded 5,151 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2007 Passat fails 23.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 26.5% at 150k+, a spread of only 3.5 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 25.2% of the time against 26.3% for diesel.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 42.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.6% | 9,460 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.0% | 7,621 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.6% | 5,981 |
| 4 | Tyres | 8.2% | 5,719 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.5% | 4,509 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 5.6% | 3,898 |
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 | 5,151 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 4,130 |
| 3 | Joints | 4,012 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 3,931 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 2,776 |
| 6 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 2,540 |
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 | 42.8% | 29,703 |
| 2 | Tyres | 33.9% | 23,540 |
| 3 | Brakes | 25.8% | 17,904 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.0% | 9,754 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 9,558 |
| 6 | Other defects | 13.3% | 9,216 |
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 | 100 | 23.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,033 | 18.6% |
| 60-90k | 4,402 | 24.2% |
| 90-120k | 12,346 | 25.9% |
| 120-150k | 19,956 | 27.0% |
| 150k+ | 31,588 | 26.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 66,447 | 26.3% |
| Petrol | 3,014 | 25.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,600 | 26.8% |
| 2022 | 17,079 | 25.8% |
| 2023 | 13,647 | 26.2% |
| 2024 | 10,376 | 26.3% |
| 2025 | 7,759 | 26.5% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Passat
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 13.6% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (13.6% 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 (11.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (8.6% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 2007 Volkswagen Passats pass their MOT?
73.7% of the 69,461 2007 Volkswagen Passat MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 Volkswagen Passat?
Suspension, recorded in 13.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.0%).
Does the 2007 Passat get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 23.0% in the 0-30k band to 26.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 69,461 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.