2013 Volvo XC90 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 14,645 MOT tests, the 2013 Volvo XC90 recorded an 81.5% pass rate. Against large SUVs of a similar age (16.5% fail rate), the 2013 XC90 comes out 2.1pp worse. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (9.8%) and lighting & signalling (9.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, decelerometer (sp) and tread depth — position lamp alone was recorded 799 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.8% versus 11.5%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 19.9% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 9.8% | 1,441 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 1,366 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 748 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.8% | 408 |
| 5 | Suspension | 2.2% | 319 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.8% | 118 |
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 | 799 |
| 2 | Decelerometer (sp) | 595 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 510 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 475 |
| 5 | Rbt (sp) | 396 |
| 6 | Wipers | 271 |
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 | 25.4% | 3,719 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.5% | 3,005 |
| 3 | Suspension | 15.9% | 2,334 |
| 4 | Other defects | 15.2% | 2,223 |
| 5 | Visibility | 4.0% | 583 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 544 |
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 | 104 | 11.5% |
| 30-60k | 1,539 | 12.9% |
| 60-90k | 4,576 | 16.5% |
| 90-120k | 4,689 | 18.8% |
| 120-150k | 2,660 | 23.0% |
| 150k+ | 1,074 | 23.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 14,578 | 18.6% |
| Petrol | 67 | 16.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,916 | 16.2% |
| 2022 | 2,879 | 17.2% |
| 2023 | 2,948 | 19.0% |
| 2024 | 2,986 | 20.4% |
| 2025 | 2,916 | 19.9% |
What to check before buying a 2013 XC90
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 9.8% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (9.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (9.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 2013 Volvo XC90s pass their MOT?
81.5% of the 14,645 2013 Volvo XC90 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 18.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2013 Volvo XC90?
Brakes, recorded in 9.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.3%).
Does the 2013 XC90 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 11.5% in the 0-30k band to 23.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 14,645 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.