Volvo V40 MOT pass rate and common faults

MOT tests in 2025, published 22 Jun 2026. DVSA publishes a new year each summer.

97,289 Volvo V40 cars had an MOT in 2025 and 71.6% passed first time. That is below what cars of the same ages scored (73.7%).

Find the year your car was first registered below, then check the faults it is most likely to fail on.

Pass rate by year

Each year's first-time pass rate, with a tick for all cars first used that year. Years with fewer than 300 tests, and cars over 20 years old, are left out. Years with 1,000 or more tests link to a page of their own, with that year's common faults.

Volvo V40 first-time pass rate by year first used
Volvo V40 pass rate by year
ItemVolvo V40All cars that year
201980.6%83.5%
201878.8%80.9%
201778.0%78.2%
201673.2%74.9%
201567.6%71.9%
201467.1%68.6%
201365.9%65.8%
201261.9%63.5%

Source: DVSA, tests in 2025, published 22 June 2026.

Common failures

The share of all Volvo V40 cars tested that failed on, or had fixed at the station, each item. Worth checking before the MOT or before you buy.

Most common Volvo V40 MOT failure items
Volvo V40 common failures
ItemValue
Coil spring: fractured or broken6.6%
Condition: has ply or cords exposed2.5%
Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick2.5%
Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm2.5%
Joints: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt2.3%
Position lamp: not working1.9%
Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault1.7%
Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords1.7%

Source: DVSA, tests in 2025, published 22 June 2026.

Common advisories

Advisories are things the tester noticed that were not bad enough to fail. They often turn into failures later. What advisories mean for the next MOT.

Most common Volvo V40 advisories
Volvo V40 common advisories
ItemValue
Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge20.7%
Brake pads: wearing thin10.5%
Condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing8.7%
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened7.7%
Pins and bushes: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement6.1%
Engine oil leaks: leak, but not excessive3.2%
Brake discs: worn, but not excessively2.6%
Coil spring: corroded2.5%

Source: DVSA, tests in 2025, published 22 June 2026.

Typical mileage

Recorded mileage at the MOT. A car well above the range for its age has done more work than most; one far below is worth a closer look at its MOT history.

Volvo V40 recorded mileage by age
Volvo V40 mileage by age
AgeLowTypicalHighAll cars, typical
6-8 years37,10051,800 miles69,90051,800
9-11 years61,40082,200 miles105,00073,500
12-14 years80,100104,800 miles131,30091,400
21+ years85,500114,900 miles146,80099,200

The middle half of cars fall between the low and high figures. Source: DVSA, tests in 2025, published 22 June 2026.

Reliability and recalls

Checking one car?

These figures describe groups of cars. A vehicle history report shows the full MOT history, mileage, outstanding finance, write-offs and stolen records for one registration.

Figures from the DVSA anonymised MOT testing data for MOT tests in 2025, published by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Analysis by Motoring Insider. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we work out these figures.