Know Your MOT

MOT failure rate and common problems for the Volvo 960, and how to check your own car by registration.

Updated 05 September 2026.

26.4%fail rate

Volvo 960 MOT failure rate

What a Volvo 960 fails its MOT on, and the part that fixes each.

What it fails on, and why

Suspension14.3% 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.

Lamps & electrical7.1% 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 suspension failure: Volvo 960 suspension springs and shock absorbersShop Volvo 960 suspension springs and shock absorbers on AmazonaffiliateFind Volvo 960 suspension springs and shock absorbers on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Volvo 960 headlight and indicator bulbsShop Volvo 960 headlight and indicator bulbs on AmazonaffiliateFind Volvo 960 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 960?

It fails 26.4% of its MOT tests across the DVSA record, from 53 tests.

What do these cars fail their MOT on most?

The most common failure area is suspension, at 14.3% of this model's failures.