2008 Volkswagen Phaeton — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 Volkswagen Phaeton passed 81.3% of its 606 recorded MOT tests. That is 7.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.1%. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (6.8%) and lighting & signalling (6.6%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, malfunction indicator lamp and rbt (sp) — washers alone was recorded 25 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 16.5% in the 60-90k band and 22.3% in the 150k+ band, a 5.8-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 26.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 18.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 6.8% | 41 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 40 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.4% | 39 |
| 4 | Visibility | 5.9% | 36 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.8% | 23 |
| 6 | Suspension | 3.0% | 18 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 25 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 21 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 20 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 20 |
| 5 | Service brake performance | 18 |
| 6 | Wipers | 16 |
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 | 26.7% | 162 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.6% | 119 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.8% | 90 |
| 4 | Visibility | 8.6% | 52 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 8.6% | 52 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 6.6% | 40 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 60-90k | 79 | 16.5% |
| 90-120k | 189 | 15.3% |
| 120-150k | 182 | 22.0% |
| 150k+ | 130 | 22.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 167 | 18.6% |
| 2022 | 149 | 20.1% |
| 2023 | 110 | 18.2% |
| 2024 | 92 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 88 | 20.4% |
What to check before buying a 2008 Phaeton
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 6.8% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (6.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (6.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.4% 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.
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 2008 Volkswagen Phaetons pass their MOT?
81.3% of the 606 2008 Volkswagen Phaeton MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 Volkswagen Phaeton?
Brakes, recorded in 6.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.6%).
Does the 2008 Phaeton get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 16.5% in the 60-90k band to 22.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 606 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.