2013 Volvo V40 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2013 Volvo V40 passed 78.6% of its 71,406 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 19.4% of the time, so this is 1.9pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.8%) and lighting & signalling (7.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 4,738 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.0% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.2% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.5% fail against 21.7% for diesel, a 7.2-point gap across 71,404 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 28.6% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 20.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.8% | 6,295 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 7.8% | 5,584 |
| 3 | Brakes | 6.2% | 4,406 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.1% | 4,348 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 1,649 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.3% | 1,616 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 4,738 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,869 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 2,255 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 1,814 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 1,675 |
| 6 | Anti-lock braking system | 1,333 |
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 | 28.6% | 20,398 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.1% | 13,634 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.1% | 10,084 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.2% | 5,875 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 4.6% | 3,263 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.3% | 2,348 |
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 | 1,595 | 11.0% |
| 30-60k | 11,145 | 16.0% |
| 60-90k | 22,705 | 20.5% |
| 90-120k | 20,375 | 23.5% |
| 120-150k | 10,620 | 24.4% |
| 150k+ | 4,899 | 25.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 68,043 | 21.7% |
| Petrol | 3,361 | 14.5% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,530 | 20.4% |
| 2022 | 14,307 | 19.9% |
| 2023 | 14,355 | 21.7% |
| 2024 | 14,138 | 21.8% |
| 2025 | 14,076 | 23.1% |
What to check before buying a 2013 V40
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.8% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.8% 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 (7.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (6.2% 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.
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 2013 Volvo V40s pass their MOT?
78.6% of the 71,406 2013 Volvo V40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Volvo V40?
Suspension, recorded in 8.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (7.8%).
Does the 2013 V40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.0% in the 0-30k band to 25.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 71,406 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.