2014 Volkswagen Tiguan — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan passed 83.5% of its 91,822 recorded MOT tests. Against mid-size SUVs of a similar age (18.0% fail rate), the 2014 Tiguan comes out 1.5pp better. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests against 5.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, coil spring and tread depth — pins and bushes alone was recorded 5,652 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 23.7% once past 150k — 2.4× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.6% fail against 16.6% for diesel, a 2.0-point gap across 91,822 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 28.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 20.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.3% | 8,525 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.2% | 4,799 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.5% | 3,221 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.8% | 2,552 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 2,086 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 1,138 |
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 | 5,652 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 3,519 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 3,231 |
| 4 | Wipers | 1,624 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,476 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 1,353 |
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 | 28.6% | 26,310 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.2% | 24,017 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.8% | 19,077 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.6% | 6,986 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 3,275 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.5% | 2,253 |
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 | 2,497 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 24,912 | 12.5% |
| 60-90k | 37,691 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 19,484 | 20.2% |
| 120-150k | 5,618 | 21.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,614 | 23.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 89,233 | 16.6% |
| Petrol | 2,589 | 14.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,954 | 13.2% |
| 2022 | 18,032 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 18,470 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 18,575 | 18.1% |
| 2025 | 18,791 | 20.1% |
What to check before buying a 2014 Tiguan
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.3% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.3% 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.
- 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.
- Lighting & signalling (3.5% 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 2014 Volkswagen Tiguans pass their MOT?
83.5% of the 91,822 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan?
Suspension, recorded in 9.3% of tests, followed by tyres (5.2%).
Does the 2014 Tiguan get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 23.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 91,822 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.