Common problems

Volvo V40 (before 2012) electrical and lighting problems

How often MOT testers find lights and electrics faults on the Volvo V40 (before 2012) at each age, against all cars of the same age, and which items come up most. From 15,100 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025. These figures cover cars first used before 2012. Later cars sold under the same name are not included; see Volvo V40 cars first used 2012 or later.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 21 years, the most tested age

Lights and electrics fails per 100 MOTs (n=3,179)24.8

All cars at 21 years (n=1,321,417)20.6

Lights and electrics advisories and minor defects per 100 MOTs (n=3,179)17.4

All cars, same age (n=1,321,417)16.7

What stands out

At 21 years, 24.8 of every 100 MOTs of the Volvo V40 (before 2012) found a lights and electrics fail (n=3,179), against 20.6 for all cars of that age (n=1,321,417).
It is above the all-car rate at every age with at least 1,000 tests (7 ages).
The gap is widest at 24 years: 24.2 per 100 MOTs against 17.2 for all cars.
The lights and electrics fail item recorded most often at 21 years: side/position light not working, on 9.1 per 100 MOTs.
The most common lights and electrics advisory or minor defect: registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources, on 4.8 per 100 MOTs.

Lights and electrics fails by age

Solid line: this model. Dashed line: all cars at the same age.

Volvo V40 (before 2012): lights and electrics fails and advisories per 100 MOTs, by age, against all cars. Ages with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Age	Tests (n)	Fails	All cars	Advisories	All cars
18 years	1,192	26.8	21.4	16.3	17.8
19 years	2,485	27.4	21.5	16.2	17.9
20 years	3,059	24.9	21.2	16.2	17.4
21 years	3,179	24.8	20.6	17.4	16.7
22 years	2,453	23.9	19.7	17.0	15.5
23 years	1,694	24.1	18.6	16.3	14.2
24 years	1,038	24.2	17.2	17.3	12.5

Lights and electrics fail items at 21 years

Lights and electrics fail items on the Volvo V40 (before 2012) at 21 years (n=3,179), per 100 MOTs, with all cars at the same age (n=1,321,417).
Item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars	Typical repair (estimate)
Side/position light not working	9.1	4.9	£10 to £47 per lamp
Dipped headlight not working	4.0	1.8	£18 to £86 per lamp
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect	3.0	3.7	£16 to £39 per car (rough guide)
Headlamp aim: too low	2.9	1.9	£16 to £39 per car (rough guide)
Brake light not working	2.4	3.9	£10 to £47 per lamp
Individual direction indicators: incorrect colour	2.3	0.8	£10 to £47 per lamp

Lights and electrics advisories and minor defects at 21 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).

Lights and electrics advisories and minor defects on the Volvo V40 (before 2012) at 21 years (n=3,179), per 100 MOTs, with all cars at the same age (n=1,321,417).
Item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars	If it needs replacing (estimate)
Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources	4.8	5.3
Individual direction indicators: slightly discoloured	4.2	1.8	£10 to £47 per lamp
Position lamp: with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning	4.1	0.4
Battery(ies): insecure but not likely to fall from carrier	2.5	1.0

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.

What to check on a viewing

On the Volvo V40 (before 2012), the lights and electrics items testers fail most are side/position light not working; dipped headlight not working; headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect.

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.

Ask for the car's MOT history: a lights and electrics advisory that repeats from year to year has not been fixed. GOV.UK MOT history.

Questions

What are the common electrical and lighting problems on the Volvo V40 (before 2012)?

At 21 years (3,179 MOTs), the lights and electrics fail items testers record most often are side/position light not working (9.1 per 100 MOTs), dipped headlight not working (4.0 per 100 MOTs), headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (3.0 per 100 MOTs). The most common lights and electrics advisories or minor defects are registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.8) and individual direction indicators: slightly discoloured (4.2).

Does the Volvo V40 (before 2012) have more electrical and lighting problems than other cars?

At 21 years it has 24.8 lights and electrics fails per 100 MOTs against 20.6 for all cars of the same age (4.2 more). It is above the all-car rate at every age with enough tests (7 ages).

What does a lights and electrics repair cost on the Volvo V40 (before 2012)?

For side/position light not working, an independent garage estimate is £10 to £47 per lamp. This is a guide built from the national median garage labour rate and estimated labour hours, not a quote.

Electrical and lighting problems on other Volvo models

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.

Looking at a Volvo V40 (before 2012)?

These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.

See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record

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