2013 Volkswagen Phaeton — MOT failures & pass rate
484 MOT tests on the 2013 Volkswagen Phaeton are in this dataset, and 84.3% of them passed. All cars of a similar age fail 20.0% of the time, so this is 4.3pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (6.6%) and lighting & signalling (5.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, service brake performance and headlamp aim — tread depth alone was recorded 14 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 19.5% versus 13.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 14.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 6.6% | 32 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 25 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.2% | 25 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.5% | 12 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.2% | 6 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.8% | 4 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 14 |
| 2 | Service brake performance | 13 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 13 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 11 |
| 5 | Washers | 10 |
| 6 | Headlamp cleaning device | 6 |
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 | 20.4% | 99 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.7% | 81 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.4% | 36 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 7.0% | 34 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.8% | 28 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.3% | 21 |
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 | 69 | 13.0% |
| 60-90k | 144 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 111 | 15.3% |
| 120-150k | 64 | 17.2% |
| 150k+ | 82 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 102 | 12.8% |
| 2022 | 103 | 14.6% |
| 2023 | 102 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 89 | 19.1% |
| 2025 | 88 | 14.8% |
What to check before buying a 2013 Phaeton
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 6.6% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (6.6% 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 (5.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.2% 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 2013 Volkswagen Phaetons pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 484 2013 Volkswagen Phaeton MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Volkswagen Phaeton?
Brakes, recorded in 6.6% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.2%).
Does the 2013 Phaeton get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.0% in the 30-60k band to 19.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 484 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.