2015 Volkswagen Touareg — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2015 Volkswagen Touareg passed 83.9% of its 24,629 recorded MOT tests. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 2.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.8% of tests against 4.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are rear fog lamp, coil spring and tread depth — rear fog lamp alone was recorded 1,604 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.6% in the 0-30k band and 19.2% in the 150k+ band, a 9.6-point spread.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 19.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 14.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 8.8% | 2,164 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.4% | 1,074 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.0% | 980 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.4% | 584 |
| 5 | Brakes | 2.2% | 551 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.6% | 383 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear fog lamp | 1,604 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,089 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 625 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 544 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 475 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 466 |
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 | 19.1% | 4,702 |
| 2 | Brakes | 15.5% | 3,823 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.7% | 1,639 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.2% | 798 |
| 5 | Suspension | 3.2% | 796 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.9% | 466 |
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 | 478 | 9.6% |
| 30-60k | 6,816 | 13.9% |
| 60-90k | 10,736 | 16.6% |
| 90-120k | 5,043 | 18.2% |
| 120-150k | 1,238 | 17.7% |
| 150k+ | 318 | 19.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,961 | 14.0% |
| 2022 | 4,867 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 4,930 | 16.5% |
| 2024 | 4,993 | 18.0% |
| 2025 | 4,878 | 17.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 Touareg
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 8.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (8.8% 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.
- Suspension (4.0% 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.
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 2015 Volkswagen Touaregs pass their MOT?
83.9% of the 24,629 2015 Volkswagen Touareg MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Volkswagen Touareg?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 8.8% of tests, followed by tyres (4.4%).
Does the 2015 Touareg get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.6% in the 0-30k band to 19.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 24,629 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.