2025 MOT results
Volvo S40 common problems
The most common reason a Volvo S40 fails its MOT is a sidelight out, on 14.8% of its 6,448 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 4 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a split joint boot at 11.5% of failures against 6.3% expected; a tyre worn through to the cords at 7.2% of failures against 4.2% expected; worn suspension bushes at 8.0% of failures against 5.3% expected.
- Tests in 2025 15,238 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 42.3% 6,448 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 12.5% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 67.5% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Volvo S40 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Volvo S40 tests with that defect. Where we can compare it with cars of the same registration years, the marker shows what an average car of those ages records (12 of the 12 items below).
Most common reasons for failure
A test can fail for more than one defect, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 14.8% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 13.5% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 11.5% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 8.0% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 7.2% |
| Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.6% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 6.5% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 6.4% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 6.1% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.9% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.4% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 5.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
-
Sidelight out
14.8% of failures 13.1% expected about as expected
A sidelight, also called a position lamp, not working. It marks the width of the car at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
-
Broken coil spring
13.5% of failures 9.0% expected 1.5 times as often
A broken suspension spring, which usually snaps in the bottom coil and often fails on both sides within a year.
Look at each corner for a sagging ride height, and listen for a knock over speed bumps.
-
Split joint boot
11.5% of failures 6.3% expected 1.8 times as often
A split rubber boot on a joint or driveshaft. The joint may still be sound, but dirt and water get in once the boot is open.
Turn the wheels to full lock and look behind them for greasy splits in the rubber concertina.
-
Worn suspension bushes
8.0% of failures 5.3% expected 1.5 times as often
Worn rubber bushes in a suspension arm, letting the arm move under load.
Perished or cracked rubber at the inner ends of the lower arms, visible with the wheel turned.
-
Tyre worn through to the cords
7.2% of failures 4.2% expected 1.7 times as often
The tyre is worn or damaged far enough to expose the cords underneath, which is a dangerous defect.
Run a hand round the inner and outer walls of each tyre, which is where kerbing shows.
-
Number plate lamp out
6.6% of failures 4.4% expected 1.5 times as often
The lamp over the rear number plate not working, so the plate cannot be read at night.
Walk round the car with the lights on and the hazards going; these are the cheapest failures to avoid.
Which parts of the car fail
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails a Volvo S40, on 44.0% of failed tests. The widest gap against cars of the same registration years is tyres, on 20.3% against 17.1% expected.
Failure categories
DVSA's own sections of the test. The marker is what cars of the same registration years record.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 44.0% |
| Suspension | 43.3% |
| Brakes | 24.2% |
| Tyres | 20.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 18.4% |
| Visibility | 13.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 11.3% |
| Steering | 11.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
67.5% of Volvo S40 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Volvo S40s, these are the items to ask about on a car you are viewing, because they are what the last tester expected to go next.
Most common advisories
Share of all tests, passes included.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 22.9% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 12.2% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 11.5% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 9.8% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.9% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.9% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 7.2% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 5.3% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 5.1% |
| Exhaust system: minor leak of exhaust gases Body, chassis, structure | 4.5% |
| Suspension arm: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 4.0% |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 3.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Volvo S40 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Volvo S40?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Position lamp: not working” is the most common: it appears on 14.8% of failed Volvo S40 tests. Across categories, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the area that most often fails one, on 44.0% of failed tests.
How often does a Volvo S40 fail its MOT?
42.3% of Volvo S40 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 15,238 tests of cars aged three and over. Allowing for the age and mileage of the cars tested, that gives it a UK Motoring Reliability Score of 45 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Volvo S40 than on other cars?
Yes. “Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt” appears on 11.5% of its failures against 6.3% for cars of the same age, and “Tyres: ply or cords exposed” appears on 7.2% of its failures against 4.2% for cars of the same age. Where an item is missing from the national figures for a year, we use the smallest share those figures show, so the comparison never overstates the difference.
Are these the same as breakdowns or known faults?
No. These are the items a tester recorded at the MOT, which covers condition and safety: lamps, brakes, tyres, suspension, corrosion and emissions. A gearbox that is unpleasant, an infotainment screen that has died, or a car that will not start on a cold morning are not part of the test, so they are not in these figures.
Where do the figures come from?
Every normal MOT test of a Volvo S40 aged three and over in Great Britain in 2025, from DVSA's anonymised MOT results. Retests are excluded, and the same fault on more than one wheel counts once.
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT defects and advisories | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 15,238 MOT tests | 19 September 2026 |
- Shares for defects are of failed tests; shares for advisories are of all tests. A test can carry several defects, so shares add to more than 100%.
- The expected share is what an average car of the same registration years records, weighted by where this model’s failures fall. Where an item is outside the national figures for a year, the smallest share those figures show is used in its place, which is an upper bound, so the comparison never overstates a model’s problems. No expectation is published where less than 80% of the model’s failures can be compared.
- Great Britain only: DVSA does not run MOT testing in Northern Ireland. Cars under three years old are not tested.
- The descriptions of what each part does are general and the same on every model. Every figure comes from the MOT data.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.