Common problems

Volkswagen common problems by model

29 Volkswagen models, each at its most tested age: the part area MOT testers fail most often, against all cars of the same age. From 11,955,362 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025. Open a model for every area, the items behind it and what to check on a viewing.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

Volkswagen models with at least 3 ages of 1,000 or more MOT tests. Fails per 100 MOTs in the most common area.
Model	Age	Tests (n)	Most common fail area	Per 100	All cars
Golf	8 years	269,751	Tyres	6.0	6.3
Polo	8 years	194,370	Brakes	7.2	4.8
Transporter	6 years	78,853	Suspension	6.7	2.9
Tiguan	5 years	115,034	Tyres	4.8	5.1
Passat	8 years	61,657	Suspension	7.2	6.1
Caddy	9 years	49,945	Suspension	11.9	7.9
Up	10 years	71,930	Lights and electrics	7.2	11.2
Touran	15 years	23,356	Suspension	20.7	16.7
T-Roc	3 years	78,552	Tyres	3.8	4.8
Scirocco	13 years	22,635	Suspension	17.4	14.9
Beetle	18 years	14,351	Lights and electrics	25.5	21.4
Touareg	8 years	14,525	Lights and electrics	9.5	7.3
Sharan	6 years	17,022	Tyres	6.3	5.6
Fox	15 years	22,136	Lights and electrics	22.8	19.5
Amarok	6 years	10,584	Brakes	7.8	3.5
T-Cross	3 years	31,133	Tyres	3.3	4.8
Caravelle	6 years	3,518	Suspension	8.0	2.9
CC	10 years	11,953	Suspension	11.6	9.7
Jetta	16 years	7,374	Suspension	17.4	17.1
Eos	15 years	9,854	Suspension	15.5	16.7
ID.3	3 years	25,186	Tyres	7.3	4.8
California	6 years	4,614	Tyres	4.9	5.6
Arteon	4 years	7,488	Tyres	8.2	4.7
Crafter	10 years	2,571	Brakes	18.5	6.5
Lupo	21 years	4,880	Lights and electrics	18.4	20.6
e-Golf	4 years	6,581	Tyres	9.0	4.7
Bora	20 years	4,705	Lights and electrics	22.0	21.2
Tiguan Allspace	3 years	6,234	Windscreen, wipers and mirrors	8.8	2.8
LT	19 years	1,337	Lights and electrics	29.2	21.5

For how often each model passes or fails its MOT, see Volkswagen MOT fail rates by model.

Other makes

All makes

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.

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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