Volkswagen Crafter MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 417,015 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 35.5%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Volkswagen Crafter MOT Reliability Overview
The Volkswagen Crafter is a very popular vehicle in the UK, with 417,015 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 20 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.5% and a failure rate of 35.5%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Volkswagen Crafter earns a "Average" reliability rating. The average Volkswagen Crafter presents for MOT with approximately 112,353 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2022 models achieve the highest pass rate at 87.9%, while 2005 models have the lowest at 34.3%. This 53.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Volkswagen Crafter is Brakes, affecting 46.7% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment at 25.1%. Suspension rounds out the top three at 24.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
All manufacture years perform similarly at ~76.8%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2007 to 2021
| Built | Pass Rate | Tests | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 76.8% | 5,062 | 🏆 Best |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 8,885 | ✅ Great |
| 2020 | 74.7% | 4,744 | 👍 Good |
| 2018 | 73.1% | 7,009 | 👍 Good |
| 2017 | 68.8% | 5,343 | ⚠️ Fair |
| 2016 | 65.6% | 6,309 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2014 | 63.6% | 6,194 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2015 | 62.8% | 7,143 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2007 | 60.7% | 2,031 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2010 | 60.5% | 2,155 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2013 | 59.9% | 4,242 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2011 | 58.4% | 2,610 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2008 | 58.1% | 2,238 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2009 | 57.9% | 1,531 | ❌ Avoid |
| 2012 | 57.5% | 3,663 | ❌ Avoid |
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 15 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Volkswagen Crafter vintages degrade over time, from age 1 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Volkswagen Crafter. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 18 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Volkswagen Crafter ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 20% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 13 (43.7% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 47.5% | 198,120 |
| 2 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 37.3% | 155,502 |
| 3 | Suspension | 24.8% | 103,328 |
| 4 | Tyres | 17.0% | 71,089 |
| 5 | Visibility | 9.0% | 37,688 |
| 6 | Noise, Emissions And Leaks | 8.2% | 34,164 |
| 7 | Steering | 8.0% | 33,518 |
| 8 | Non-component Advisories | 5.9% | 24,781 |
| 9 | Driver's View Of The Road | 4.3% | 17,948 |
| 10 | Body, Chassis, Structure | 3.7% | 15,382 |
| 11 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 1.6% | 6,783 |
| 12 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.5% | 6,059 |
| 13 | Body, Structure And General Items | 0.7% | 3,113 |
| 14 | Registration Plates And Vin | 0.7% | 3,062 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 112,353 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 4.23 | 47.5% | 198,120 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.32 | 37.3% | 155,502 |
| Suspension | 2.21 | 24.8% | 103,328 |
| Tyres | 1.52 | 17.0% | 71,089 |
| Visibility | 1.18 | 13.3% | 55,636 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.73 | 8.2% | 34,164 |
| Steering | 0.72 | 8.0% | 33,518 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.53 | 5.9% | 24,781 |
| Body & Structure | 0.40 | 4.4% | 18,495 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.14 | 1.6% | 6,783 |
| Seat Belts | 0.13 | 1.5% | 6,059 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.07 | 0.7% | 3,062 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Volkswagen Crafter has 112,353 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Volkswagen Crafter has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 3.16% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Volkswagen Crafter MOT Data
The Volkswagen Crafter is a very popular vehicle in the UK, with 417,015 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 20 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.5% and a failure rate of 35.5%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Volkswagen Crafter owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on brakes and lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Crafter is likely to perform.
Brakes — 46.7% of failures
Brakes issues account for 46.7% of MOT failures on the Volkswagen Crafter. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.1% of failures
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment issues account for 25.1% of MOT failures on the Volkswagen Crafter. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Suspension — 24.1% of failures
Suspension issues account for 24.1% of MOT failures on the Volkswagen Crafter. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Crafter?
Based on 417,015 MOT tests in our database, the Volkswagen Crafter has an overall pass rate of 64.5% (35.5% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Crafter?
The top 3 reasons a Volkswagen Crafter fails its MOT are: 1. Brakes (46.7%), 2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (25.1%), 3. Suspension (24.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Volkswagen Crafter reliable?
With a 35.5% MOT failure rate, the Crafter is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Volkswagen Crafter?
Based on failure data, focus on: Brakes (46.7%); Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment (25.1%); Suspension (24.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.