2015 Volvo V60 — MOT failures & pass rate
19,346 MOT tests on the 2015 Volvo V60 are in this dataset, and 85.0% of them passed. Large family cars of a similar age fail 17.0% of the time, so this is 2.1pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.2% of tests against 4.2% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are brake pads, tread depth and headlamp aim — brake pads alone was recorded 657 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 18.7% once past 150k — 2.2× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 10.3% fail against 15.3% for diesel, a 5.0-point gap across 19,344 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 27.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 12.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.2% | 1,390 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 4.2% | 805 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.0% | 777 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.6% | 497 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.5% | 480 |
| 6 | Suspension | 1.4% | 273 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brake pads | 657 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 629 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 447 |
| 4 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 341 |
| 5 | Wipers | 308 |
| 6 | Washers | 250 |
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 | 27.9% | 5,395 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.4% | 3,943 |
| 3 | Other defects | 8.3% | 1,613 |
| 4 | Suspension | 8.1% | 1,559 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 6.2% | 1,203 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.6% | 694 |
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 | 564 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 4,279 | 11.5% |
| 60-90k | 6,294 | 14.2% |
| 90-120k | 4,595 | 17.3% |
| 120-150k | 2,416 | 18.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,186 | 18.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 18,205 | 15.3% |
| Petrol | 1,139 | 10.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,827 | 12.1% |
| 2022 | 3,839 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 3,909 | 15.6% |
| 2024 | 3,857 | 15.7% |
| 2025 | 3,914 | 17.4% |
What to check before buying a 2015 V60
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 7.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (7.2% 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 (4.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (4.0% 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 2015 Volvo V60s pass their MOT?
85.0% of the 19,346 2015 Volvo V60 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.0% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2015 Volvo V60?
Tyres, recorded in 7.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (4.2%).
Does the 2015 V60 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 18.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,346 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.