Volkswagen Transporter T30 MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 7 model years and 13,298 tests, the Volkswagen Transporter T30 passes its MOT 85.8% of the time. Against all cars of a similar age (9.1% fail rate), the Transporter T30 comes out 5.1pp worse. Its most common failure areas are suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.0%) and lighting & signalling (5.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, coil spring and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 461 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 22.2% versus 8.1%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 17.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 10.0% of tests failed in 2022 against 14.5% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Transporter T30 model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2,171 | 86.7% | 13.3% | Suspension |
| 2020 | 4,893 | 85.6% | 14.4% | Suspension |
| 2021 | 4,707 | 85.1% | 14.9% | Suspension |
| 2022 | 1,472 | 87.0% | 13.0% | Lighting & signalling |
| 2023 | 38 | 100.0% | 0.0% | - |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.0% | 804 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 697 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.8% | 642 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.5% | 326 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.0% | 271 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 269 |
| 7 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.1% | 153 |
| 8 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 62 |
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 | 461 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 354 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 325 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 322 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 284 |
| 6 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 235 |
| 7 | Pins and bushes | 179 |
| 8 | Washers | 148 |
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 | 17.9% | 2,376 |
| 2 | Brakes | 12.5% | 1,657 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.2% | 954 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.0% | 805 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 733 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.4% | 455 |
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 | 4,007 | 8.1% |
| 30-60k | 5,676 | 15.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,432 | 18.3% |
| 90-120k | 836 | 20.7% |
| 120-150k | 266 | 18.4% |
| 150k+ | 81 | 22.2% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 512 | 10.0% |
| 2023 | 2,150 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 4,594 | 14.6% |
| 2025 | 6,038 | 14.5% |
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Transporter T30
- Suspension (6.0% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.8% 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
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Transporter T30?
85.8% of the 13,298 Volkswagen Transporter T30 MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 14.2% fail rate, across model years 2018–2024.
What does the Volkswagen Transporter T30 most often fail its MOT on?
Suspension, recorded in 6.0% of tests, then lighting & signalling (5.2%).
How much does mileage affect Transporter T30 MOT results?
Fail rates run at 8.1% for cars in the 0-30k band and 22.2% for 150k+, a 14.1-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 13,298 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.