Skip to main content
Pass Your MOT

1996 Volvo 440 Le MOT Pass Rate

Pass rate for 440 Le models manufactured in 1996, based on 48 real MOT test results.

35.4%
Pass Rate
64.6%
Fail Rate
48
Total Tests
100,270
Avg Mileage

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

This page shows all 440 Le cars tested in 1996. Want to see how cars built in 1996 hold up over time?

View 1996 Volvo 440 Le vintage page โ†’ (35.4% current pass rate)

1996 Volvo 440 Le MOT Analysis

The 1996 Volvo 440 Le has an MOT pass rate of 35.4% based on 48 tests โ€” significantly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 100,270 miles on the odometer. With a 64.6% failure rate, the 1996 440 Le is rated as "Very Poor" for MOT reliability.

The leading cause of MOT failure for the 1996 Volvo 440 Le is Brakes, responsible for 143.8% of failures. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components โ€” any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs range from ยฃ150โ€“400. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment is the second most common issue at 87.5%. Suspension follows at 77.1%.

โš  Based on limited data (48 tests)

Top failures specific to 1996 models only. The overall 440 Le page may show different rankings.

What Fails Most

What Fails on This Car?

Click a category to see specific failure items.

View as table
MOT failure categories ranked by failure rate
RankFailure CategoryRate (%)Count
1Brakes143.8%69
2Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment87.5%42
3Suspension77.1%37
4Tyres37.5%18
5Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions31.3%15
6Driver's View Of The Road22.9%11
7Body, Structure And General Items16.7%8
8Steering14.6%7
9Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems10.4%5
10Registration Plates And Vin6.3%3
11Items Not Tested6.3%3
12Road Wheels2.1%1

Failures per 10,000 Miles

avg. 100,270 mi

For 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.

Brakes14.34% per 10K miLamps & Electrical8.73% per 10K miSuspension7.69% per 10K miTyres3.74% per 10K miEmissions & Exhaust3.12% per 10K miVisibility2.29% per 10K miBody & Structure1.66% per 10K miSteering1.45% per 10K miSeat Belts1.04% per 10K miRegistration Plates and VIN0.62% per 10K miItems Not Tested0.62% per 10K miWheels0.21% per 10K mi
View as table
Mileage-normalised failure rates by category
CategoryRate / 10K miRaw %Count
Brakes14.34143.8%69
Lamps & Electrical8.7387.5%42
Suspension7.6977.1%37
Tyres3.7437.5%18
Emissions & Exhaust3.1231.3%15
Visibility2.2922.9%11
Body & Structure1.6616.7%8
Steering1.4514.6%7
Seat Belts1.0410.4%5
Registration Plates and VIN0.626.3%3
Items Not Tested0.626.3%3
Wheels0.212.1%1

Mileage Statistics

100,270
Mean
104,240
Median
81,548
25th Percentile
128,744
75th Percentile
6.44% failures per 10K miles

Mileage-adjusted failure rate โ€” accounts for how much this model year is typically driven.

About This Data

The 1996 Volvo 440 Le has an MOT pass rate of 35.4% based on 48 tests โ€” significantly below the UK average for UK vehicles. Cars of this vintage present for MOT with an average of 100,270 miles on the odometer. With a 64.6% failure rate, the 1996 440 Le is rated as "Very Poor" for MOT reliability.

If you own or are considering buying a 1996 Volvo 440 Le, be prepared for above-average maintenance costs. Before your MOT, pay particular attention to brakes: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel โ€” 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). With an average mileage of 100,270 miles, these vehicles are in the higher-mileage bracket where wear-related failures become more common.

Brakes โ€” 143.8% of failures

Brakes issues account for 143.8% of MOT failures on 1996 Volvo 440 Le models. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components โ€” any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: ยฃ150โ€“400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel โ€” 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 โ€” 87.5% of failures

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 87.5% of MOT failures on 1996 Volvo 440 Le models. 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: ยฃ5โ€“50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light โ€” 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 โ€” 77.1% of failures

Suspension issues account for 77.1% of MOT failures on 1996 Volvo 440 Le models. 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: ยฃ200โ€“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.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005โ€“2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Share via WhatsApp Share on Facebook Report Issue