Volkswagen Transporter: brakes MOT failures
Brakes was recorded as a failure area in 7.4% of Volkswagen Transporter MOT tests — 126,723 tests out of 1,705,562. It shows up most on 1983 and 1996 cars.
Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair cost: £100–£350 per axle (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Brakes failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 312 | 11.5% |
| 1981 | 654 | 13.8% |
| 1982 | 1,198 | 13.3% |
| 1983 | 2,011 | 14.2% |
| 1984 | 3,073 | 12.0% |
| 1985 | 3,504 | 12.2% |
| 1986 | 4,901 | 10.3% |
| 1987 | 4,179 | 10.1% |
| 1988 | 5,452 | 9.8% |
| 1989 | 7,346 | 10.2% |
| 1990 | 7,161 | 9.3% |
| 1991 | 5,049 | 10.4% |
| 1992 | 7,135 | 12.2% |
| 1993 | 7,007 | 11.9% |
| 1994 | 12,078 | 12.4% |
| 1995 | 14,052 | 13.4% |
| 1996 | 17,084 | 14.3% |
| 1997 | 20,395 | 14.0% |
| 1998 | 25,596 | 13.6% |
| 1999 | 27,817 | 13.0% |
| 2000 | 31,702 | 13.7% |
| 2001 | 43,660 | 12.9% |
| 2002 | 43,382 | 12.5% |
| 2003 | 47,355 | 12.3% |
| 2004 | 62,260 | 12.7% |
| 2005 | 67,664 | 12.3% |
| 2006 | 76,570 | 11.7% |
| 2007 | 89,051 | 9.0% |
| 2008 | 83,774 | 7.9% |
| 2009 | 59,409 | 6.5% |
| 2010 | 69,039 | 7.0% |
| 2011 | 75,884 | 5.9% |
| 2012 | 76,789 | 5.3% |
| 2013 | 87,355 | 4.9% |
| 2014 | 96,677 | 5.6% |
| 2015 | 107,620 | 4.9% |
| 2016 | 116,427 | 3.6% |
| 2017 | 115,443 | 2.9% |
| 2018 | 110,666 | 2.2% |
| 2019 | 61,826 | 2.0% |
| 2020 | 4,864 | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 1,590 | 2.8% |
| 2022 | 481 | 2.1% |
Methodology & source. 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.