2011 Volvo V50 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Volvo V50 passed 72.5% of its 29,325 recorded MOT tests. That is 4.7 percentage points worse than small family cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.8%. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (14.0%) and lighting & signalling (12.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are joints, coil spring and headlamp aim — joints alone was recorded 2,124 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 10.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 30.1% once past 150k — 3.0× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 6.1pp more often than petrol ones (27.9% vs 21.8%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 31.7% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.7% of tests failed in 2021 against 28.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.0% | 4,106 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 12.3% | 3,622 |
| 3 | Tyres | 7.8% | 2,297 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 2,068 |
| 5 | Brakes | 5.6% | 1,643 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.8% | 1,113 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 2,124 |
| 2 | Coil spring | 1,708 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 1,540 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 1,354 |
| 5 | Position lamp | 1,320 |
| 6 | Linkage | 1,022 |
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 | 31.7% | 9,285 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.9% | 6,996 |
| 3 | Brakes | 20.9% | 6,137 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 15.6% | 4,569 |
| 5 | Other defects | 12.0% | 3,533 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.8% | 2,295 |
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 | 159 | 10.1% |
| 30-60k | 1,731 | 18.3% |
| 60-90k | 4,702 | 23.8% |
| 90-120k | 8,057 | 27.7% |
| 120-150k | 7,612 | 29.7% |
| 150k+ | 7,059 | 30.1% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 27,760 | 27.9% |
| Petrol | 1,565 | 21.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,143 | 25.7% |
| 2022 | 6,166 | 27.4% |
| 2023 | 6,023 | 27.9% |
| 2024 | 5,716 | 28.6% |
| 2025 | 5,277 | 28.3% |
What to check before buying a 2011 V50
On a 2011 V50, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (14.0% 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 (12.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (7.8% 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 2011 Volvo V50s pass their MOT?
72.5% of the 29,325 2011 Volvo V50 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Volvo V50?
Suspension, recorded in 14.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (12.3%).
Does the 2011 V50 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.1% in the 0-30k band to 30.1% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 29,325 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.