2016 Volvo V40 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2016 Volvo V40 passed 82.5% of its 92,716 recorded MOT tests. Small family cars of a similar age fail 13.7% of the time, so this is 3.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (7.7%) and tyres (6.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, tread depth and brake pads — coil spring alone was recorded 6,747 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 11.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.9% once past 150k.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 17.3% of the time against 17.7% for diesel.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 25.9% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 14.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 7.7% | 7,145 |
| 2 | Tyres | 6.5% | 6,058 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.6% | 3,363 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.2% | 2,961 |
| 5 | Visibility | 1.8% | 1,698 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.7% | 1,609 |
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 | 6,747 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 2,719 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 2,080 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 2,017 |
| 5 | Joints | 1,579 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,216 |
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 | 25.9% | 23,974 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.4% | 15,255 |
| 3 | Other defects | 6.7% | 6,167 |
| 4 | Suspension | 5.9% | 5,456 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 2,383 |
| 6 | Visibility | 2.5% | 2,349 |
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 | 11,356 | 11.8% |
| 30-60k | 40,987 | 16.5% |
| 60-90k | 27,573 | 19.6% |
| 90-120k | 9,678 | 21.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,473 | 21.9% |
| 150k+ | 608 | 20.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 58,419 | 17.7% |
| Petrol | 34,297 | 17.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 18,079 | 14.8% |
| 2022 | 18,438 | 16.6% |
| 2023 | 18,723 | 18.3% |
| 2024 | 18,722 | 18.6% |
| 2025 | 18,754 | 19.2% |
What to check before buying a 2016 V40
On a 2016 V40, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (7.7% 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.
- Tyres (6.5% 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 (3.6% 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 2016 Volvo V40s pass their MOT?
82.5% of the 92,716 2016 Volvo V40 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2016 Volvo V40?
Suspension, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by tyres (6.5%).
Does the 2016 V40 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.8% in the 0-30k band to 20.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 92,716 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.