2019 Volvo S90 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2019 Volvo S90 passed 90.6% of its 9,515 recorded MOT tests. That is effectively the same as executive cars of a similar age (10.3% fail rate), so the MOT record here is unremarkable in either direction. Failures cluster in tyres, brakes and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (5.4%) and brakes (3.7%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 444 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 13.7% versus 7.1%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 8.7% of the time against 9.8% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 4.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 10.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 5.4% | 518 |
| 2 | Brakes | 3.7% | 352 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 1.0% | 93 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 82 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 0.5% | 51 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 49 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 444 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 255 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 65 |
| 4 | Wipers | 55 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 47 |
| 6 | Washers | 32 |
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 | 22.4% | 2,133 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.3% | 1,554 |
| 3 | Other defects | 5.2% | 494 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 265 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.7% | 162 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 67 |
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 | 2,790 | 7.1% |
| 30-60k | 4,459 | 10.0% |
| 60-90k | 1,560 | 10.7% |
| 90-120k | 486 | 12.8% |
| 120-150k | 147 | 8.8% |
| 150k+ | 73 | 13.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 5,753 | 9.8% |
| Petrol | 3,273 | 8.7% |
| Hybrid | 489 | 9.2% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 107 | 4.7% |
| 2022 | 2,423 | 8.3% |
| 2023 | 2,390 | 10.0% |
| 2024 | 2,301 | 9.6% |
| 2025 | 2,294 | 10.0% |
What to check before buying a 2019 S90
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 5.4% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (5.4% 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.
- Brakes (3.7% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (1.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
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 2019 Volvo S90s pass their MOT?
90.6% of the 9,515 2019 Volvo S90 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Volvo S90?
Tyres, recorded in 5.4% of tests, followed by brakes (3.7%).
Does the 2019 S90 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.1% in the 0-30k band to 13.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,515 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.