1999 Volvo V70 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 7,227 MOT tests, the 1999 Volvo V70 recorded a 72.5% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail at 27.6%, so the 1999 V70 sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (13.8%) and brakes (11.8%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, ball joint and steering rack — headlamp aim alone was recorded 549 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 12.7% of 30-60k cars fail, rising to 29.8% once past 150k — 2.3× the risk.
Fuel type barely separates them — diesel fails 26.8% of the time against 27.7% for petrol.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 36.8% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 29.2% in 2021 to 26.4% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.8% | 994 |
| 2 | Brakes | 11.8% | 851 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.3% | 815 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 7.0% | 508 |
| 5 | Steering | 6.9% | 498 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 6.6% | 479 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 549 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 372 |
| 3 | Steering rack | 348 |
| 4 | Rbt (sp) | 319 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 305 |
| 6 | Wipers | 266 |
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 | 36.8% | 2,658 |
| 2 | Brakes | 31.2% | 2,256 |
| 3 | Tyres | 27.3% | 1,976 |
| 4 | Other defects | 23.1% | 1,671 |
| 5 | Lighting & signalling | 19.3% | 1,394 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 15.7% | 1,134 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 110 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 505 | 19.2% |
| 90-120k | 915 | 23.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,549 | 27.5% |
| 150k+ | 4,127 | 29.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 5,874 | 27.7% |
| Diesel | 1,353 | 26.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,972 | 29.2% |
| 2022 | 1,648 | 27.9% |
| 2023 | 1,372 | 26.0% |
| 2024 | 1,199 | 26.9% |
| 2025 | 1,036 | 26.4% |
What to check before buying a 1999 V70
On a 1999 V70, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 13.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (13.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (11.8% 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.
- Suspension (11.3% 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.
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 1999 Volvo V70s pass their MOT?
72.5% of the 7,227 1999 Volvo V70 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 1999 Volvo V70?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.8% of tests, followed by brakes (11.8%).
Does the 1999 V70 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.7% in the 30-60k band to 29.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,227 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.