2011 Volvo S40 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Volvo S40 passed 73.3% of its 10,219 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 22.8% of the time, so this is 4.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (13.5%) and lighting & signalling (11.9%) 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 pins and bushes — joints alone was recorded 658 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 14.0% in the 0-30k band and 29.7% in the 150k+ band, a 15.7-point spread — more than double.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 5.1pp more often than petrol ones (27.7% vs 22.6%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 29.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 13.5% | 1,384 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.9% | 1,221 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.9% | 702 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.6% | 677 |
| 5 | Brakes | 6.0% | 614 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.9% | 401 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 658 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 632 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 548 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 491 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 354 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 330 |
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 | 29.8% | 3,047 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.9% | 2,233 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.9% | 2,138 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 1,150 |
| 5 | Other defects | 9.8% | 999 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 6.9% | 709 |
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 | 164 | 14.0% |
| 30-60k | 1,240 | 19.5% |
| 60-90k | 2,610 | 24.9% |
| 90-120k | 3,058 | 29.6% |
| 120-150k | 1,840 | 28.7% |
| 150k+ | 1,301 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,330 | 27.7% |
| Petrol | 1,889 | 22.6% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,216 | 25.3% |
| 2022 | 2,146 | 25.8% |
| 2023 | 2,088 | 27.4% |
| 2024 | 1,955 | 27.3% |
| 2025 | 1,814 | 28.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 S40
On a 2011 S40, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.5% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (13.5% 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 (11.9% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.9% 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 S40s pass their MOT?
73.3% of the 10,219 2011 Volvo S40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volvo S40?
Suspension, recorded in 13.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.9%).
Does the 2011 S40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 14.0% in the 0-30k band to 29.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,219 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.