Volkswagen Transporter S MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 7 model years and 768 tests, the Volkswagen Transporter S passes its MOT 87.4% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 9.0% of the time, so this is 3.6pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.0%) and tyres (4.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, brake pads and shock absorbers — headlamp aim alone was recorded 29 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the Transporter S fails 11.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 12.9% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.7 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 11.3% of tests failed in 2023 against 13.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Transporter S model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 482 | 85.5% | 14.5% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 205 | 92.2% | 7.8% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2022 | 73 | 87.7% | 12.3% | Lighting & signalling |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.0% | 31 |
| 2 | Tyres | 4.0% | 31 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.5% | 19 |
| 4 | Seat belts & restraints | 2.3% | 18 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.2% | 17 |
| 6 | Suspension | 2.1% | 16 |
| 7 | Emissions & environmental | 1.0% | 8 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 7 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 29 |
| 2 | Brake pads | 14 |
| 3 | Shock absorbers | 12 |
| 4 | Washers | 8 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 7 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 7 |
| 7 | Rear reflectors | 6 |
| 8 | Windscreen | 6 |
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 | 17.1% | 131 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.3% | 102 |
| 3 | Other defects | 7.3% | 56 |
| 4 | Suspension | 4.0% | 31 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 31 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 3.3% | 25 |
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 | 303 | 11.2% |
| 30-60k | 347 | 13.3% |
| 60-90k | 93 | 12.9% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 151 | 11.3% |
| 2024 | 264 | 13.3% |
| 2025 | 342 | 13.2% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Transporter S
- Lighting & signalling (4.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.0% 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.
- Brakes (2.5% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Transporter S?
87.4% of the 768 Volkswagen Transporter S MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 12.6% fail rate, across model years 2017–2023.
What does the Volkswagen Transporter S most often fail its MOT on?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.0% of tests, then tyres (4.0%).
How much does mileage affect Transporter S MOT results?
Fail rates run at 11.2% for cars in the 0-30k band and 12.9% for 60-90k, a 1.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 768 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.