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Volkswagen Passat seat belts and airbags problems

DVSA MOT tests 2022–2025 · 61,657 MOT tests · Updated

At 8 years, 0.6 in 100 MOT tests of the Volkswagen Passat failed on seat belts and airbags, against 0.5 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 61,657 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), 391 MOT tests with a fail
  • By age: seen at 23 ages from 3 to 25 years, 792,205 MOT tests
  • Most common fail: Airbag (SRS) warning light on, 0.3 per 100 MOT tests

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 8 years, against 0.5 for all class 4 vehicles tested at 8 (all test years). That is about average.

Why it matters

A seat belts and airbags fail stops the car passing until it is fixed; the most common one is rated major by DVSA.

What to check

Pull every seat belt out fully and let it retract, check each buckle latches and releases, and make sure the airbag light goes out after start-up.

Volkswagen Passat seat belts and airbags fails by age

Volkswagen Passat seat belts and airbags fails per 100 MOT tests by ageSolid line: the Volkswagen Passat. Dashed line: all cars the same age. The table below lists every value.0243 years: 0.5 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 20,292 MOT tests34 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 29,296 MOT tests5 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.3), 39,071 MOT tests56 years: 0.3 per 100 (all cars 0.4), 48,620 MOT tests7 years: 0.4 per 100 (all cars 0.4), 57,482 MOT tests78 years: 0.6 per 100 (all cars 0.5), 61,657 MOT tests9 years: 1.2 per 100 (all cars 0.6), 59,789 MOT tests910 years: 2.3 per 100 (all cars 0.7), 59,093 MOT tests11 years: 2.8 per 100 (all cars 0.9), 61,025 MOT tests1112 years: 2.6 per 100 (all cars 1.0), 57,348 MOT tests13 years: 2.2 per 100 (all cars 1.2), 57,013 MOT tests1314 years: 1.4 per 100 (all cars 1.5), 53,175 MOT tests15 years: 1.3 per 100 (all cars 1.7), 46,183 MOT tests1516 years: 2.3 per 100 (all cars 2.1), 39,260 MOT tests17 years: 3.2 per 100 (all cars 2.5), 29,623 MOT tests1718 years: 4.1 per 100 (all cars 2.7), 21,985 MOT tests19 years: 4.2 per 100 (all cars 2.9), 16,556 MOT tests1920 years: 3.3 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 12,614 MOT tests21 years: 3.0 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 9,052 MOT tests2122 years: 2.4 per 100 (all cars 3.1), 5,947 MOT tests23 years: 2.5 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 3,618 MOT tests2324 years: 2.4 per 100 (all cars 3.2), 2,243 MOT tests25 years: 4.0 per 100 (all cars 3.3), 1,263 MOT tests25
Fails per 100 MOT tests by age, all first-use years pooled. Volkswagen Passat All class 4 vehicles the same age Shaded: over 18 years, survivors only.
AgeMOT testsFails per 100All class 4 vehicles the same age
320,2920.50.3
429,2960.40.3
539,0710.30.3
648,6200.30.4
757,4820.40.4
861,6570.60.5
959,7891.20.6
1059,0932.30.7
1161,0252.80.9
1257,3482.61.0
1357,0132.21.2
1453,1751.41.5
1546,1831.31.7
1639,2602.32.1
1729,6233.22.5
1821,9854.12.7
19*16,5564.22.9
20*12,6143.33.1
21*9,0523.03.1
22*5,9472.43.1
23*3,6182.53.2
24*2,2432.43.2
25*1,2634.03.3

All first-use years of the Volkswagen Passat 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 seat belts and airbags at 8 years

Fails

  • Airbag (SRS) warning light on: 0.3 fails per 100 MOT tests, all class 4 vehicles 0.2. Diagnose and fix airbag (SRS) warning: estimated £39–£317 (0.5–1.5 h at £78/h (ONS local-garage repair quotes, 1,058 quotes from 65 garages, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026) + parts £0–£200) Airbag (SRS) warning lamp indicates a fault MOT fail

Advisories (not fails)

Diagnose and fix airbag (SRS) warning cost

Repair figures are estimates, not quotes: how we estimate repair costs.

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  • Model risks for this year and fuel
  • What similar cars did at their next MOT
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See a sample report

By engine and fuel

  • 2.0 diesel: 0.6 per 100 at 8 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 45,894 MOT tests)
  • 1.6 diesel: 0.7 per 100 at 8 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 13,503 MOT tests)
  • 1.9 diesel: 4.7 per 100 at 18 years, about average for diesel class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 11,780 MOT tests)

How to check on a test drive

Pull every seat belt out fully and let it retract, check each buckle latches and releases, and make sure the airbag light goes out after start-up.

The most common advisory here in MOT records: Seat belt condition: webbing slightly damaged or frayed.

Check one Volkswagen Passat, not the average

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

Other Volkswagen Passat problems

Seat belts and airbags on rival models

Questions people ask

Does the Volkswagen Passat have more seat belts and airbags problems than other cars?

0.6 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years, against 0.5 for all class 4 vehicles the same age: about average by our test (all test years; 61,657 MOT tests).

How common are Volkswagen Passat seat belts and airbags problems?

0.6 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years failed on seat belts and airbags, against 0.5 for all class 4 vehicles the same age (all test years; 61,657 MOT tests).

What is the most common Volkswagen Passat seat belts and airbags fail?

0.3 in 100 MOT tests at 8 years: Airbag (SRS) warning light on (195 MOT tests with it).

Sources

  1. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2022 to 2025. DVSA MOT data, Open Government Licence v3.0, 792,205 MOT tests. Accessed 7 Oct 2026.
  2. Office for National Statistics, Consumer price inflation, local price quotes (car repair items). ONS price quotes, series 610236. 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