2021 Volkswagen Transporter T30 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,707 MOT tests, the 2021 Volkswagen Transporter T30 recorded an 85.1% pass rate. Against all cars of a similar age (8.7% fail rate), the 2021 Transporter T30 comes out 6.3pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (6.1%) and lighting & signalling (5.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, shock absorbers and brake pads — headlamp aim alone was recorded 188 times.
A 120-150k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 24.7% versus 8.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 6.1% of tests failed in 2023 against 14.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 6.1% | 286 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.7% | 269 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 240 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 127 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.0% | 95 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.0% | 94 |
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 | 188 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 124 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 124 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 117 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 91 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 90 |
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 | 17.5% | 825 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 643 |
| 3 | Suspension | 6.8% | 321 |
| 4 | Other defects | 5.8% | 273 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.4% | 255 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 173 |
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 | 1,478 | 8.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,955 | 16.8% |
| 60-90k | 906 | 18.1% |
| 90-120k | 283 | 25.8% |
| 120-150k | 73 | 24.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 33 | 6.1% |
| 2024 | 2,344 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 2,329 | 14.9% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Transporter T30
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 6.1% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (6.1% 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 (5.7% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 2021 Volkswagen Transporter T30s pass their MOT?
85.1% of the 4,707 2021 Volkswagen Transporter T30 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Volkswagen Transporter T30?
Suspension, recorded in 6.1% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.7%).
Does the 2021 Transporter T30 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.0% in the 0-30k band to 24.7% in the 120-150k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,707 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.