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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

Volvo V50 MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 61.0% of 33,991 MOT tests on the Volvo V50 ended in a pass, 15.5 points below the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate
61.0%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
33,991
Initial MOTs in 2023
Mileage at 10
101k
Median; middle half 77k to 129k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the Volvo V50 MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

AgePass rateMileage
101,259 tests
66.4%
101,000 · 77k to 129k
114,142 tests
62.9%
115,000 · 87k to 145k
124,744 tests
62.5%
121,000 · 95k to 149k
135,497 tests
62.5%
121,000 · 95k to 147k
145,129 tests
60.0%
129,000 · 103k to 155k
154,883 tests
59.5%
133,000 · 107k to 161k
163,176 tests
59.8%
135,000 · 109k to 167k
172,956 tests
57.8%
141,000 · 111k to 169k
181,794 tests
58.0%
135,000 · 107k to 163k
19411 tests
61.1%
129,000 · 103k to 155k
V50 pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the Volvo V50. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
6.9in 100 tests
Side and tail lights
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
6.7in 100 tests
Suspension and drive joints
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
6.3in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre cords visible or damaged
4.3in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2.9in 100 tests
Headlights
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
2.6in 100 tests
Headlight aim
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
2.6in 100 tests
Brake performance
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
2.4in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
10.5in 100 tests
Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
9.1in 100 tests
Number plate lights
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (minor defect)
8.1in 100 tests
Engine oil leaks
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
7.0in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre seriously damaged
6.7in 100 tests
Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
6.5in 100 tests
Suspension and drive joints
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated (minor defect)
5.4in 100 tests
Windscreen
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view (minor defect)
3.9in 100 tests

What to check on a used V50

The parts that come up most often in Volvo V50 MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Brake discs and pads
    Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
  2. Lights
    Walk round with every light on, and ask someone to press the brake pedal so you can see both brake lights.
  3. Oil leaks
    Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.
  4. Coil springs
    Compare the gap between each tyre and its wheel arch. A corner sitting lower than the others can mean a broken spring.
  5. Tyres
    Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.

Check a specific V50

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the Volvo V50?
In 2023, 61.0% of 33,991 initial MOT tests on the Volvo V50 ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.
What fails most often on a Volvo V50 MOT?
The most common failures were coil springs (6.9 in 100 tests), side and tail lights (6.7 in 100 tests), suspension and drive joints (6.3 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 10-year-old Volvo V50?
At 10 years old, the median Volvo V50 at its MOT had covered 101,000 miles, and the middle half had between 77,000 and 129,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a Volvo V50?
The most common advisories were brake discs (10.5 in 100 tests), brake pads (9.1 in 100 tests), number plate lights (8.1 in 100 tests).

Other Volvo models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all Volvo models or see every make.

V4076.5%XC6082.0%XC9075.7%V7070.4%XC4091.3%V5061.0%V6080.4%C3065.3%S4063.5%S6075.5%XC7073.7%V9086.1%C7064.5%S8075.7%S9088.8%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.