2011 Volvo C70 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 3,196 MOT tests, the 2011 Volvo C70 recorded a 75.5% pass rate. Against coupes & convertibles of a similar age (17.8% fail rate), the 2011 C70 comes out 6.7pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (10.0%) and lighting & signalling (8.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, coil spring and position lamp — joints alone was recorded 226 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 36.6% versus 10.4%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 29.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 23.0% of tests failed in 2021 against 24.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 10.0% | 321 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.5% | 273 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.8% | 250 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.7% | 213 |
| 5 | Brakes | 5.0% | 161 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.9% | 91 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 226 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 180 |
| 3 | Position lamp | 166 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 106 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 89 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 72 |
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 | 29.0% | 928 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.3% | 809 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.8% | 536 |
| 4 | Other defects | 7.8% | 248 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.3% | 232 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 5.6% | 178 |
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 | 96 | 10.4% |
| 30-60k | 682 | 21.9% |
| 60-90k | 1,244 | 23.6% |
| 90-120k | 740 | 26.8% |
| 120-150k | 303 | 28.1% |
| 150k+ | 131 | 36.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,048 | 24.6% |
| Petrol | 148 | 23.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 644 | 23.0% |
| 2022 | 651 | 22.6% |
| 2023 | 654 | 24.8% |
| 2024 | 656 | 27.6% |
| 2025 | 591 | 24.7% |
What to check before buying a 2011 C70
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 10.0% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (10.0% 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 (8.5% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.8% 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
How many 2011 Volvo C70s pass their MOT?
75.5% of the 3,196 2011 Volvo C70 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 24.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volvo C70?
Suspension, recorded in 10.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.5%).
Does the 2011 C70 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.4% in the 0-30k band to 36.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,196 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.