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Vauxhall Combo suspension problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 50,382 MOT tests · Updated

At 3 years, 0.6 in 100 MOT tests of the Vauxhall Combo failed on suspension, against 0.6 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 50,382 MOT tests) [1].

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  • Against all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years), 298 MOT tests with a fail
  • When it starts: clear of 1.2 times from 4 years and at every older age seen
  • MOT tests at 3 years: 50,382 for the Vauxhall Combo

Figures are for the model as a whole, not for one car.

What the MOT tests show

What we know

0.6 fails per 100 MOT tests at 3 years, against 0.6 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 3 (all test years). That is about average.

Why it matters

A suspension fail stops the car passing until it is fixed.

What to check

Push down hard on each corner: it should rise once and settle. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and look behind each wheel for snapped springs or split rubber bushes.

The Vauxhall Combo is a commercial or van-based vehicle: it is compared with all class 4 vehicles, cars and vans together, so part of any difference can come from how vans are used.

Vauxhall Combo suspension fails by age

Vauxhall Combo suspension fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Vauxhall Combo. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.01020303 years: 0.6 per 100 (all cars 0.6), 50,382 MOT tests34 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 0.9), 46,051 MOT tests5 years: 3.5 per 100 (all cars 1.6), 36,841 MOT tests56 years: 7.4 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 28,099 MOT tests7 years: 15.9 per 100 (all cars 4.4), 17,843 MOT tests78 years: 18.6 per 100 (all cars 6.1), 19,921 MOT tests9 years: 20.7 per 100 (all cars 7.9), 19,394 MOT tests910 years: 22.9 per 100 (all cars 9.7), 16,965 MOT tests11 years: 21.3 per 100 (all cars 11.6), 19,814 MOT tests1112 years: 19.6 per 100 (all cars 13.4), 22,370 MOT tests13 years: 21.2 per 100 (all cars 14.9), 23,186 MOT tests1314 years: 22.6 per 100 (all cars 16.0), 25,904 MOT tests15 years: 25.6 per 100 (all cars 16.7), 22,827 MOT tests1516 years: 26.7 per 100 (all cars 17.1), 19,627 MOT tests17 years: 26.7 per 100 (all cars 17.2), 17,233 MOT tests1718 years: 27.6 per 100 (all cars 17.2), 13,657 MOT tests19 years: 27.6 per 100 (all cars 16.9), 10,476 MOT tests1920 years: 26.2 per 100 (all cars 16.5), 6,806 MOT tests21 years: 27.8 per 100 (all cars 15.9), 3,908 MOT tests2122 years: 26.3 per 100 (all cars 15.2), 1,799 MOT tests
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Vauxhall Combo All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
350,3820.60.6
446,0511.30.9
536,8413.51.6
628,0997.42.9
717,84315.94.4
819,92118.66.1
919,39420.77.9
1016,96522.99.7
1119,81421.311.6
1222,37019.613.4
1323,18621.214.9
1425,90422.616.0
1522,82725.616.7
1619,62726.717.1
1717,23326.717.2
1813,65727.617.2
19*10,47627.616.9
20*6,80626.216.5
21*3,90827.815.9
22*1,79926.315.2

All first-use years of the Vauxhall Combo pooled at each age, against all class 4 vehicles at that age over all 2022–2025 test years. * Only survivors are still tested at this age.

What fails in the suspension at 3 years

Advisories (not fails)

Replace shock absorbers cost

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
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By engine and fuel

  • 1.2 diesel: 22.4 per 100 at 14 years, fails 1.3× (1.26–1.33×) as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 20,548 MOT tests)
  • 1.5 diesel: 0.6 per 100 at 3 years, fails less often than diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (0.5–0.7×) (all test years; 36,356 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 diesel: 1.0 per 100 at 3 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 7,788 MOT tests)
  • 1.7 diesel: 28.1 per 100 at 19 years, fails 1.4–1.5× as often as diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 6,429 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Push down hard on each corner: it should rise once and settle. Listen for knocks over speed bumps and look behind each wheel for snapped springs or split rubber bushes.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil.

Check one Vauxhall Combo, not the average

The figures here describe Vauxhall Combo cars as a group. These free tools answer for one car. Each line says what the tool reads.

Other Vauxhall Combo problems

Suspension on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Vauxhall Combo have more suspension problems than other cars?

0.6 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years, against 0.6 for all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average by our test (all test years; 50,382 MOT tests).

How common are Vauxhall Combo suspension problems?

0.6 in 100 MOT tests at 3 years failed on suspension, against 0.6 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 50,382 MOT tests).

At what age do Vauxhall Combo suspension fails start?

4 years: from then on the rate stays clear of 1.2 times all class 4 vehicles the same age at every age seen, 372,721 MOT tests.

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 423,103 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.

Parts: against all class 4 vehicles at the same age, all 2022–2025 test years pooled, not adjusted for mileage. Breakdowns and non-MOT faults are not in this data. How we compare