2014 Volvo S80 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2014 Volvo S80 passed 86.9% of its 2,216 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.4 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 15.5%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (4.9%) and lighting & signalling (4.2%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are track rod end, on or after 01/01/2014 and headlamp aim — track rod end alone was recorded 66 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 21.0% once past 150k — 2.0× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 10.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 12.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.9% | 108 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 94 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 81 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.7% | 60 |
| 5 | Steering | 2.6% | 58 |
| 6 | Visibility | 1.5% | 33 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Track rod end | 66 |
| 2 | On or after 01/01/2014 | 60 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 56 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 47 |
| 5 | Tread depth | 28 |
| 6 | Wipers | 20 |
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 | 22.3% | 494 |
| 2 | Brakes | 17.5% | 388 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.0% | 156 |
| 4 | Other defects | 6.2% | 137 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 3.8% | 84 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.7% | 81 |
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 | 87 | 10.3% |
| 30-60k | 513 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 727 | 11.8% |
| 90-120k | 444 | 13.7% |
| 120-150k | 220 | 11.8% |
| 150k+ | 224 | 21.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 450 | 10.9% |
| 2022 | 440 | 12.0% |
| 2023 | 450 | 14.2% |
| 2024 | 456 | 15.6% |
| 2025 | 420 | 12.9% |
What to check before buying a 2014 S80
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.9% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.9% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (4.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Emissions & environmental (3.7% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 2014 Volvo S80s pass their MOT?
86.9% of the 2,216 2014 Volvo S80 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2014 Volvo S80?
Tyres, recorded in 4.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.2%).
Does the 2014 S80 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.3% in the 0-30k band to 21.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,216 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.