Know Your MOT
34.4%fail rate

Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 61 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 34.4% of MOT tests recorded on the Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is exhaust & emissions, which makes up 33.3% of the Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door's failures, followed by exhaust & emissions, lamps & electrical, suspension, brakes. Each item below links to the part that resolves it. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying, and have safety-critical work done by a competent mechanic.

What it fails on, and why

Exhaust & emissions33.3% of failures

Exhaust failures cover leaks, insecure mountings and emissions over the limit. A blowing exhaust, a failed lambda reading or a diesel that smokes beyond the limit will fail.

Lamps & electrical33.3% of failures

Lighting is the single most common MOT failure and the cheapest to put right. A blown headlight, brake-light or number-plate bulb, a cracked lens, or a headlamp beam that points too high or low will all fail. Most are a two-minute bulb swap.

Suspension33.3% of failures

Suspension failures usually mean a worn or snapped coil spring, a leaking shock absorber, or play in a lower arm ball joint or bush. The tester checks for corrosion, fractures and excessive movement. A broken front spring is one of the most common failures on higher-mileage cars and is a straightforward replacement.

Brakes23.8% of failures

Brake failures cover worn pads and discs, an imbalance between wheels, corroded or scored discs, or a binding caliper. Braking efficiency is measured on a rolling road, so a spongy or pulling brake shows up as a low reading.

Tyres19.0% of failures

Tyres fail for tread below the 1.6mm legal limit across the central three-quarters, uneven or exposed-cord wear, or sidewall damage. The tester inspects all four; a single illegal tyre is a fail.

Steering9.5% of failures

Steering faults are typically worn track-rod ends or ball joints, play in the rack, or a split gaiter letting grease out and dirt in. Excessive free play at the wheel fails.

The parts that fix each

If your car has just failed, you have 10 working days to fix the items and get a free partial retest. These are the usual parts; confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the exhaust & emissions failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door exhaustSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door exhaustaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the brakes failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the tyres failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door tyresSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door tyresaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door tyres on eBayaffiliate
For the steering failure: Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door steering track rod endsSearch Amazon for Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door steering track rod endsaffiliate searchFind Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 5 Door steering track rod ends on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Volkswagen Golf Highlander 2.0l 2 Door MOT failures28.6% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rateFord Focus MOT failures26.1% failure rateVauxhall Corsa MOT failures30.1% failure rate

Sources: DVSA MOT History API: MOT test results and defect data ยท DVSA MOT testing data for Great Britain