2010 Volvo V50 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 32,926 MOT tests, the 2010 Volvo V50 recorded a 73.0% pass rate. Small family cars of a similar age fail 24.2% of the time, so this is 2.8pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.2%) and lighting & signalling (14.1%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, coil spring and headlamp aim — position lamp alone was recorded 2,227 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 9.7% in the 0-30k band and 29.2% in the 150k+ band, a 19.5-point spread — more than double.
The petrol cars hold up better: 23.4% fail against 27.2% for diesel, a 3.8-point gap across 32,926 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 32.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 25.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.2% | 4,663 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.1% | 4,635 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.7% | 2,528 |
| 4 | Brakes | 6.2% | 2,048 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 1,295 |
| 6 | Steering | 3.6% | 1,189 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 2,227 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,826 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,718 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 1,597 |
| 5 | Linkage | 1,178 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 1,073 |
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 | 32.0% | 10,529 |
| 2 | Suspension | 25.9% | 8,510 |
| 3 | Brakes | 22.2% | 7,300 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 15.9% | 5,228 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.6% | 3,809 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 10.1% | 3,318 |
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 | 207 | 9.7% |
| 30-60k | 1,697 | 19.4% |
| 60-90k | 5,043 | 23.7% |
| 90-120k | 9,384 | 27.0% |
| 120-150k | 9,186 | 28.8% |
| 150k+ | 7,404 | 29.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 31,121 | 27.2% |
| Petrol | 1,805 | 23.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,336 | 25.6% |
| 2022 | 7,150 | 26.5% |
| 2023 | 6,767 | 27.3% |
| 2024 | 6,227 | 28.4% |
| 2025 | 5,446 | 27.7% |
What to check before buying a 2010 V50
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 14.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (14.2% 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 (14.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.7% 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.
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 2010 Volvo V50s pass their MOT?
73.0% of the 32,926 2010 Volvo V50 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 Volvo V50?
Suspension, recorded in 14.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.1%).
Does the 2010 V50 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 9.7% in the 0-30k band to 29.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 32,926 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.