Know Your MOT
11.9%fail rate

Volvo B7tl common MOT failures and failure rate

What a Volvo B7tl fails its MOT on, from real DVSA test data, and the part that resolves each item.

Based on 84 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 11.9% of MOT tests recorded on the Volvo B7tl in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is brakes, which makes up 30.0% of the Volvo B7tl's failures, followed by brakes, seat belts, exhaust & emissions, other. 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

Brakes30.0% 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.

Seat belts20.0% of failures

Seat-belt failures are frays, cuts, corroded anchorages, or a belt that will not lock under a sharp pull or retract properly.

Exhaust & emissions10.0% 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.

Other10.0% of failures

This covers a range of smaller items, from a non-working horn to a warning light left on.

Lamps & electrical10.0% 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.

Body & structure10.0% of failures

Structural failures are corrosion in load-bearing areas, sharp edges, or insecure panels. These are inspection-and-welding jobs rather than a simple bolt-on part, so weigh them against the value of the car.

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 brakes failure: Volvo B7tl brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Volvo B7tl brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Volvo B7tl brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Volvo B7tl seat beltsSearch Amazon for Volvo B7tl seat beltsaffiliate searchFind Volvo B7tl seat belts on eBayaffiliate
For the exhaust & emissions failure: Volvo B7tl exhaustSearch Amazon for Volvo B7tl exhaustaffiliate searchFind Volvo B7tl exhaust on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Volvo B7tl headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Volvo B7tl headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Volvo B7tl headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate

Other models

Volvo V70 MOT failures29.0% failure rateVolvo V40 MOT failures26.2% failure rateVolvo S40 MOT failures30.1% failure rateFord Fiesta MOT failures27.1% failure rate

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