Know Your MOT
14.5%fail rate

Volvo Single Decker common MOT failures and failure rate

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

Based on 76 MOT tests in DVSA data.

About 14.5% of MOT tests recorded on the Volvo Single Decker in DVSA data end in a failure. The same handful of items account for most of them.

Its most common failure is fuel system, which makes up 18.2% of the Volvo Single Decker's failures, followed by fuel system, brakes, seat belts, lamps & electrical. 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

Fuel system18.2% of failures

Fuel-system failures are leaks or an insecure filler cap.

Brakes18.2% 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 belts18.2% of failures

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

Lamps & electrical9.1% 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.

Other9.1% of failures

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

Suspension9.1% 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.

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 Single Decker brake pads and discsSearch Amazon for Volvo Single Decker brake pads and discsaffiliate searchFind Volvo Single Decker brake pads and discs on eBayaffiliate
For the seat belts failure: Volvo Single Decker seat beltsSearch Amazon for Volvo Single Decker seat beltsaffiliate searchFind Volvo Single Decker seat belts on eBayaffiliate
For the lamps & electrical failure: Volvo Single Decker headlight and indicator bulbsSearch Amazon for Volvo Single Decker headlight and indicator bulbsaffiliate searchFind Volvo Single Decker headlight and indicator bulbs on eBayaffiliate
For the suspension failure: Volvo Single Decker suspension springs and shock absorbersSearch Amazon for Volvo Single Decker suspension springs and shock absorbersaffiliate searchFind Volvo Single Decker suspension springs and shock absorbers 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