2009 Volkswagen Transporter — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 59,409 MOT tests, the 2009 Volkswagen Transporter recorded a 75.0% pass rate. That is 3.2 percentage points better than vans of a similar age, which fail at 28.2%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.5%) and suspension (13.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint dust cover, headlamp aim and joints — ball joint dust cover alone was recorded 3,315 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 27.6% versus 13.0%.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 34.2% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 24.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.5% | 8,031 |
| 2 | Suspension | 13.2% | 7,856 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.5% | 3,862 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 5.9% | 3,499 |
| 5 | Visibility | 5.5% | 3,257 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 5.1% | 3,034 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint dust cover | 3,315 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,818 |
| 3 | Joints | 2,709 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 2,693 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 2,259 |
| 6 | Washers | 1,993 |
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 | 34.2% | 20,295 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.1% | 13,129 |
| 3 | Brakes | 21.9% | 13,020 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.6% | 9,845 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 11.9% | 7,081 |
| 6 | Visibility | 8.8% | 5,238 |
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 | 483 | 13.0% |
| 30-60k | 3,290 | 15.9% |
| 60-90k | 8,054 | 20.6% |
| 90-120k | 12,690 | 24.5% |
| 120-150k | 13,437 | 26.6% |
| 150k+ | 21,435 | 27.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 59,128 | 25.0% |
| Petrol | 281 | 25.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12,111 | 24.4% |
| 2022 | 11,939 | 24.6% |
| 2023 | 11,904 | 24.7% |
| 2024 | 11,781 | 25.5% |
| 2025 | 11,674 | 25.9% |
What to check before buying a 2009 Transporter
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.5% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (13.2% 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.
- Brakes (6.5% 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
How many 2009 Volkswagen Transporters pass their MOT?
75.0% of the 59,409 2009 Volkswagen Transporter MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 25.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2009 Volkswagen Transporter?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.5% of tests, followed by suspension (13.2%).
Does the 2009 Transporter get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.0% in the 0-30k band to 27.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 59,409 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.