2005 Volvo V50 — MOT failures & pass rate
16,980 MOT tests on the 2005 Volvo V50 are in this dataset, and 68.9% of them passed. That is 3.3 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 27.8%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: suspension, recorded in 16.9% of tests against 13.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are joints, coil spring and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 1,211 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 33.4% versus 28.3%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 29.9% fail against 31.9% for diesel, a 1.9-point gap across 16,980 tests.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 39.1% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.9% | 2,876 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 13.4% | 2,275 |
| 3 | Brakes | 10.6% | 1,806 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.9% | 1,509 |
| 5 | Tyres | 8.6% | 1,454 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.9% | 830 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 1,211 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,011 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 906 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 892 |
| 5 | Pins and bushes | 714 |
| 6 | Shock absorbers | 705 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 39.1% | 6,639 |
| 2 | Tyres | 33.1% | 5,622 |
| 3 | Brakes | 27.3% | 4,629 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 16.2% | 2,757 |
| 5 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.8% | 2,687 |
| 6 | Other defects | 12.7% | 2,162 |
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 | 60 | 28.3% |
| 30-60k | 526 | 22.4% |
| 60-90k | 1,749 | 25.5% |
| 90-120k | 3,498 | 29.8% |
| 120-150k | 4,689 | 31.9% |
| 150k+ | 6,450 | 33.4% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 10,093 | 31.9% |
| Petrol | 6,887 | 29.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,794 | 31.5% |
| 2022 | 4,094 | 30.6% |
| 2023 | 3,394 | 30.9% |
| 2024 | 2,645 | 31.2% |
| 2025 | 2,053 | 31.1% |
What to check before buying a 2005 V50
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 16.9% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (16.9% 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 (13.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (10.6% 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 2005 Volvo V50s pass their MOT?
68.9% of the 16,980 2005 Volvo V50 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 31.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2005 Volvo V50?
Suspension, recorded in 16.9% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (13.4%).
Does the 2005 V50 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 28.3% in the 0-30k band to 33.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 16,980 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.