2011 Volkswagen Phaeton — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 888 MOT tests, the 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton recorded an 84.4% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (23.0% fail rate), the 2011 Phaeton comes out 7.4pp better. Failures cluster in brakes, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (5.5%) and tyres (5.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, headlamp aim and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 29 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 23.8% versus 12.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 5.5% | 49 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.4% | 48 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 47 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.9% | 35 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 19 |
| 6 | Steering | 0.8% | 7 |
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 | 29 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 23 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 21 |
| 4 | Service brake performance | 20 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 16 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 12 |
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 | 25.0% | 222 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.8% | 158 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.6% | 94 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.4% | 92 |
| 5 | Other defects | 4.5% | 40 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.7% | 33 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 114 | 12.3% |
| 60-90k | 199 | 10.5% |
| 90-120k | 225 | 14.7% |
| 120-150k | 170 | 18.2% |
| 150k+ | 164 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 200 | 15.5% |
| 2022 | 186 | 14.5% |
| 2023 | 176 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 170 | 18.2% |
| 2025 | 156 | 16.0% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Phaeton
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 5.5% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (5.5% 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.
- Tyres (5.4% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% 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 2011 Volkswagen Phaetons pass their MOT?
84.4% of the 888 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Phaeton?
Brakes, recorded in 5.5% of tests, followed by tyres (5.4%).
Does the 2011 Phaeton get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.3% in the 30-60k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 888 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.