2011 Volkswagen Sharan — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 13,147 MOT tests, the 2011 Volkswagen Sharan recorded a 78.9% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail 24.5% of the time, so this is 3.4pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.9%) and lighting & signalling (9.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, tread depth and linkage ball joint dust cover — pins and bushes alone was recorded 997 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2011 Sharan fails 20.0% of the time in the 0-30k band and 21.2% at 150k+, a spread of only 1.2 points.
The petrol cars hold up better: 15.1% fail against 22.0% for diesel, a 6.9-point gap across 13,144 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.9% | 1,435 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.4% | 1,232 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.3% | 958 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 4.2% | 553 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.4% | 451 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.4% | 318 |
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 | 997 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 490 |
| 3 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 485 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 481 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 341 |
| 6 | Side repeaters | 300 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 34.0% | 4,464 |
| 2 | Tyres | 29.0% | 3,813 |
| 3 | Brakes | 19.8% | 2,607 |
| 4 | Other defects | 12.3% | 1,616 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.8% | 896 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.8% | 630 |
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 | 60 | 20.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,090 | 14.9% |
| 60-90k | 2,918 | 19.8% |
| 90-120k | 3,605 | 22.8% |
| 120-150k | 2,662 | 22.5% |
| 150k+ | 2,803 | 21.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,328 | 22.0% |
| Petrol | 1,816 | 15.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,515 | 21.2% |
| 2022 | 2,665 | 20.8% |
| 2023 | 2,692 | 21.0% |
| 2024 | 2,682 | 21.1% |
| 2025 | 2,593 | 21.2% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Sharan
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.3% 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 2011 Volkswagen Sharans pass their MOT?
78.9% of the 13,147 2011 Volkswagen Sharan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Sharan?
Suspension, recorded in 10.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.4%).
Does the 2011 Sharan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.0% in the 0-30k band to 21.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,147 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.