2025 MOT results
Volvo V40 common problems
The most common reason a Volvo V40 fails its MOT is a broken coil spring, on 23.4% of its 27,607 failed tests in 2025. Against other cars of the same age, 5 faults stand out, the widest gaps being: a lighting fault at 6.1% of failures against 0.9% expected; a diesel engine emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit at 3.8% of failures against 0.7% expected; a broken coil spring at 23.4% of failures against 9.4% expected.
- Tests in 2025 97,284 Cars aged three and over
- Failed first time 28.4% 27,607 tests
- Found a dangerous defect 8.9% Unsafe to drive away
- Ended with an advisory 50.3% A problem to watch, not a failure
What fails a Volvo V40 MOT
Each bar is the share of failed Volvo V40 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 |
|---|---|
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 23.4% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 8.8% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 8.7% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 8.7% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 8.1% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.8% |
| Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault Brakes | 6.1% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 6.0% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.9% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.3% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.3% |
| Diesel engine: emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
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Broken coil spring
23.4% of failures 9.4% expected 2.5 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.
-
Tyre worn through to the cords
8.8% of failures 4.8% expected 1.8 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.
-
Worn brake pads
8.7% of failures 7.5% expected somewhat more often
Friction material worn under 1.5mm, thinner than the point most manufacturers call the limit.
Look through the wheel spokes at the pad against the disc; wear indicators squeal before they get this far.
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Tyre worn below the legal limit
8.7% of failures 8.8% expected about as expected
A tyre worn past the 1.6mm legal minimum across the middle three quarters of the tread.
A 20p coin in the main grooves: if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tyre is close to the limit.
-
Split joint boot
8.1% of failures 3.6% expected 2.3 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.
-
Sidelight out
6.8% of failures 5.4% expected somewhat more often
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.
Which parts of the car fail
Suspension is the area that most often fails a Volvo V40, on 34.7% of failed tests. That is also where it differs most from cars of the same registration years, which record 29.8%.
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 |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 34.7% |
| Tyres | 28.5% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 24.2% |
| Brakes | 23.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 10.8% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 10.7% |
| Visibility | 8.9% |
| Steering | 2.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What testers warn about
50.3% of Volvo V40 tests ended with at least one advisory: a fault the tester found that did not fail the test. On Volvo V40s, 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 | 20.7% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 10.5% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 8.7% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 7.7% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 5.8% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.6% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 2.5% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.3% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.0% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 2.0% |
| Road wheels: slightly distorted Road wheels | 1.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What changes as a Volvo V40 gets older
A 2019 Volvo V40 failed 19.4% of its MOT tests in 2025; a 2012 one failed 38.1%. What fails changes as much as how often, and these are the two years themselves rather than an average across them.
2019 Volvo V40 19.4% failed, from 8,201 tests
- Broken coil spring 31.9%
- Cut tyre 14.4%
- Tyre worn through to the cords 13.9%
- Worn brake pads 11.5%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 8.2%
- Wiper blades that do not clear the screen 6.0%
2012 Volvo V40 38.1% failed, from 2,253 tests
- Broken coil spring 13.2%
- Lighting fault 12.1%
- Tyre worn below the legal limit 9.2%
- Worn brake pads 9.0%
- Individual direction indicators incorrect colour 8.5%
- Sidelight out 7.8%
Shares are of each year's failed tests. Every MOT a particular car has had, with the defects and advisories written at each test, is on GOV.UK's MOT history service from the registration, free.
Volvo V40 problems: common questions
What is the most common problem with a Volvo V40?
Of the faults that fail an MOT, “Coil spring: fractured or broken” is the most common: it appears on 23.4% of failed Volvo V40 tests. Across categories, suspension is the area that most often fails one, on 34.7% of failed tests.
How often does a Volvo V40 fail its MOT?
28.4% of Volvo V40 tests in 2025 were not passed first time, from 97,284 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 46 out of 100, where 50 is as expected.
Does anything fail more often on a Volvo V40 than on other cars?
Yes. “Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault” appears on 6.1% of its failures against 0.9% for cars of the same age, and “Diesel engine: emissions exceed manufacturer's specified limit” appears on 3.8% of its failures against 0.7% 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 V40 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 | 97,284 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.