Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Volvo 440, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

29.0%fail rate

Volvo 440 MOT failure rate

What a Volvo 440 fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Brakes11.1% 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.

Lamps & electrical11.1% 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.

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. Confirm the exact fitment against your registration or VIN before buying.

For the brakes failure: Volvo 440 brake pads and discsShop Volvo 440 brake pads and discs on AmazonaffiliateFind Volvo 440 brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Volvo 440 headlight and indicator bulbsShop Volvo 440 headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Volvo 440 headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate

Other models

All Volvo models MOT failure rates comparedRanked worst to bestVolvo V70 MOT failures29.0% failure rateVolvo V40 MOT failures26.2% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

Questions and answers

What is the MOT failure rate of the Volvo 440?

It fails 29.0% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 62 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is brakes, at 11.1% of this model's failures.