2003 Volkswagen Touran — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 2,721 MOT tests, the 2003 Volkswagen Touran recorded a 70.8% pass rate. MPVs of a similar age fail at 30.0%, so the 2003 Touran sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.2%) and lighting & signalling (15.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are flexible brake hoses, pins and bushes and headlamp aim — flexible brake hoses alone was recorded 190 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 30-60k one: 29.3% versus 33.3%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 50.3% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.9% in 2021 to 27.9% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.2% | 440 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 15.8% | 431 |
| 3 | Brakes | 11.7% | 318 |
| 4 | Tyres | 9.0% | 244 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.6% | 206 |
| 6 | Visibility | 6.4% | 174 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flexible brake hoses | 190 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 171 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 126 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 123 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 119 |
| 6 | Washers | 114 |
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 | 50.3% | 1,368 |
| 2 | Tyres | 34.5% | 938 |
| 3 | Brakes | 29.8% | 810 |
| 4 | Other defects | 18.6% | 506 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 17.3% | 470 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 16.5% | 448 |
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 | 33 | 33.3% |
| 60-90k | 171 | 26.3% |
| 90-120k | 388 | 28.6% |
| 120-150k | 725 | 29.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,389 | 29.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 2,346 | 28.7% |
| Petrol | 375 | 32.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 946 | 29.9% |
| 2022 | 720 | 29.9% |
| 2023 | 500 | 28.8% |
| 2024 | 318 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 237 | 27.9% |
What to check before buying a 2003 Touran
On a 2003 Touran, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.2% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (16.2% 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 (15.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.7% 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.
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 2003 Volkswagen Tourans pass their MOT?
70.8% of the 2,721 2003 Volkswagen Touran MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 29.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2003 Volkswagen Touran?
Suspension, recorded in 16.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (15.8%).
Does the 2003 Touran get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 33.3% in the 30-60k band to 29.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,721 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.