Volkswagen Passat: suspension MOT failures
Of the 1,250,701 Volkswagen Passat MOT tests in this dataset, 9.5% recorded at least one suspension failure. It shows up most on 1998 and 2006 cars.
Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair cost: £150–£450 per corner (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Suspension failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 390 | 10.5% |
| 1997 | 786 | 12.5% |
| 1998 | 2,488 | 13.7% |
| 1999 | 3,531 | 13.1% |
| 2000 | 4,392 | 12.5% |
| 2001 | 9,047 | 12.2% |
| 2002 | 15,543 | 11.3% |
| 2003 | 23,970 | 11.8% |
| 2004 | 27,992 | 10.1% |
| 2005 | 35,222 | 10.5% |
| 2006 | 50,152 | 15.8% |
| 2007 | 69,461 | 13.6% |
| 2008 | 73,831 | 13.0% |
| 2009 | 82,516 | 13.0% |
| 2010 | 79,755 | 13.7% |
| 2011 | 111,275 | 13.3% |
| 2012 | 93,294 | 11.4% |
| 2013 | 79,022 | 10.1% |
| 2014 | 93,818 | 9.1% |
| 2015 | 93,887 | 5.4% |
| 2016 | 88,790 | 4.6% |
| 2017 | 80,941 | 3.7% |
| 2018 | 63,334 | 1.8% |
| 2019 | 34,118 | 2.1% |
| 2020 | 20,031 | 1.5% |
| 2021 | 8,537 | 1.7% |
| 2022 | 2,868 | 0.5% |
| 2023 | 308 | 0.7% |
Methodology & source. 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.