2011 Volkswagen Touareg — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 10,536 MOT tests, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg recorded an 81.8% pass rate. That is 1.0 percentage points better than large SUVs of a similar age, which fail at 19.2%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 9.5% of tests against 6.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and headlamp aim — coil spring alone was recorded 1,137 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.8% versus 7.3%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 9.5% | 1,003 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 6.2% | 649 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.4% | 459 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.6% | 382 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 216 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 204 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 1,137 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 399 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 276 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 182 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 176 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 155 |
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 | 22.0% | 2,320 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.7% | 1,761 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.4% | 1,097 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 10.3% | 1,089 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.5% | 793 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.0% | 530 |
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 | 41 | 7.3% |
| 30-60k | 448 | 16.3% |
| 60-90k | 1,949 | 15.4% |
| 90-120k | 3,610 | 18.0% |
| 120-150k | 2,784 | 19.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,703 | 20.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,304 | 18.2% |
| Petrol | 128 | 18.0% |
| Hybrid | 74 | 16.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,177 | 16.3% |
| 2022 | 2,162 | 17.8% |
| 2023 | 2,178 | 19.2% |
| 2024 | 2,058 | 18.6% |
| 2025 | 1,961 | 19.1% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Touareg
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 9.5% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (9.5% 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 (6.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.4% 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 2011 Volkswagen Touaregs pass their MOT?
81.8% of the 10,536 2011 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volkswagen Touareg?
Suspension, recorded in 9.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (6.2%).
Does the 2011 Touareg get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.3% in the 0-30k band to 20.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,536 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.