Common problems
Skoda Karoq common problems
What MOT testers find on the Skoda Karoq: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 184,189 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 4 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- No part area of the Skoda Karoq fails more than 1 point per 100 MOTs above all cars at 4 years old (n=52,504; all cars n=8,699,937).
- Windscreen, wipers and mirrors fails are less common: 1.3 per 100 MOTs against 3.6 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 4 years: tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords, on 1.8 per 100 MOTs (all cars 1.5).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: shock absorbers: has light misting of oil, on 11.0 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 4 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 4.0 | 4.7 | 22.8 | 20.4 |
| Lights and electrics | 1.9 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 1.0 |
| Suspension | 1.6 | 0.9 | 13.0 | 2.8 |
| Brakes | 1.3 | 2.2 | 11.9 | 12.0 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.3 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 3.0 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Seat belts and airbags | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Body and structure | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Road wheels | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Steering | under 0.1 | 0.2 | under 0.1 | 0.3 |
What testers fail most on the Karoq at 4 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 1.8 | 1.5 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Shock absorber leaking | Suspension | 1.2 | 0.2 | £122 to £484 per axle (pair) (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.0 | 2.5 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Tyre tread below 1.6 mm | Tyres | 0.9 | 1.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake pads under 1.5 mm | Brakes | 0.8 | 1.3 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Headlight aimed too high | Lights and electrics | 0.7 | 0.6 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre with cords exposed | Tyres | 0.6 | 0.9 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Headlamp aim: too low | Lights and electrics | 0.5 | 0.6 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure | Tyres | 0.3 | 0.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Suspension arm bush worn | Suspension | 0.3 | 0.1 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 4 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil | Suspension | 11.0 | 1.2 | £122 to £484 per axle (pair) (rough guide) |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 11.0 | 12.4 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 10.3 | 6.3 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 7.8 | 6.9 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 4.6 | 5.2 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt | Other | 3.6 | 2.2 | |
| Suspension arm pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement | Suspension | 2.6 | 0.8 | £92 to £237 per arm (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords | Tyres | 2.3 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Nail in tyre | Other | 1.9 | 2.1 | |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 1.8 | 1.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Tyres | Lights and electrics | Suspension |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 47,948 | 4.0 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| 4 years | 52,504 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| 5 years | 41,087 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| 6 years | 28,566 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| 7 years | 14,084 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 0.8 |
Mileage
At 4 years, Skoda Karoq cars showing under 30,000 miles failed 7.9% of MOTs (n=27,072); the band that failed most, 60,000 to 90,000 miles, failed 15.0% (n=2,134). For pass and fail rates by age, see Skoda Karoq MOT fail rates.
What to check on a viewing
On the Skoda Karoq, testers most often record tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; shock absorber leaking; wipers not clearing screen. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Tyres
- Check the tread across the full width of all four tyres, and the spare if there is one.
- Look for cuts, bulges and cracking in the sidewalls.
- Wear on one edge only can point to worn suspension or the tracking being out.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Suspension
- Listen for knocks or clonks over speed bumps and rough roads on the test drive.
- Push down hard on each corner: the car should settle at once rather than keep bouncing.
- Look behind the wheels for broken or heavily rusted coil springs and split rubber bushes.
- Check that the car sits level and that no tyre is worn on one edge only.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Skoda Karoq?
At 4 years, the age with the most MOT tests (52,504), the fail items testers record most often on the Skoda Karoq are tyre condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (1.8 per 100 MOTs), shock absorber leaking (1.2 per 100 MOTs), wipers not clearing screen (1.0 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are shock absorbers: has light misting of oil (11.0) and tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (11.0).
Which parts of the Skoda Karoq fail more often than on other cars?
None by more than 1 point per 100 MOTs at 4 years, compared with 8,699,937 MOTs of all cars the same age.
Skoda Karoq problems by area
More on the Skoda Karoq
Other Skoda models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Skoda Karoq?
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Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources