2014 Volkswagen Passat — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Volkswagen Passat passed 81.3% of its 93,818 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as large family cars of a similar age (18.7% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (9.1%) and tyres (7.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, tread depth and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 5,522 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.5% versus 8.7%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 11.3% fail against 18.8% for diesel, a 7.5-point gap across 93,818 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.1% | 8,531 |
| 2 | Tyres | 7.5% | 7,053 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 5,377 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.4% | 3,146 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 1,979 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.6% | 1,496 |
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 | 5,522 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 3,798 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 2,752 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 2,601 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 1,584 |
| 6 | Suspension arm | 1,232 |
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 | 28.7% | 26,965 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.4% | 24,791 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.2% | 19,878 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.5% | 7,964 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 3,748 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.8% | 2,641 |
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 | 1,302 | 8.7% |
| 30-60k | 11,187 | 13.6% |
| 60-90k | 24,694 | 17.4% |
| 90-120k | 23,649 | 19.7% |
| 120-150k | 15,695 | 20.9% |
| 150k+ | 17,279 | 21.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 93,038 | 18.8% |
| Petrol | 780 | 11.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,012 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 19,049 | 17.4% |
| 2023 | 19,070 | 19.1% |
| 2024 | 18,507 | 19.8% |
| 2025 | 18,180 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Passat
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.1% 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 (7.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£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 2014 Volkswagen Passats pass their MOT?
81.3% of the 93,818 2014 Volkswagen Passat MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volkswagen Passat?
Suspension, recorded in 9.1% of tests, followed by tyres (7.5%).
Does the 2014 Passat get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.7% in the 0-30k band to 21.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 93,818 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.