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MOT History from tests of petrol VOLKSWAGEN BEETLEs year 1997

Review the list of common VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE failures below or to perform a specific mot history check on your VOLKSWAGEN then use our popular KnowYourCar service

mot history
Pass percent:51.77%
(The average a petrol VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE year 1997 passes without issue)
Based on:736 MOT Tests
Most common failuresNo# failures
Headlamp aim out of alignment119
Brakes imbalanced across an axle50
Horn not working |1.6.2a|39
Service brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|35
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively35
Offside Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|32
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|30
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits |7.3.D.3|28
Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|24
Brake hose excessively deteriorated23
Rear fog lamp tell tale not working |1.3.1b|20
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort19
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|18
Registration plate issues17
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive |7.3.D.3|16
Registration plate lamp issues15
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel |3.1.6b|14
Brake pipe excessively corroded14
Nearside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush |2.7.4|12
Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|12
Offside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|11
Nearside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|10
Offside rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|10
Offside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|10
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive |7.3.D.3|10
Rear brake application uneven9
Nearside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|8
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive |7.3.D.4|8
Nearside Front Direction indicator not working |1.4.A.2c|8
Offside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush |2.7.4|8
Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|7
Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))7
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive |7.3.B.1a|7
Nearside Front Lower Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush |2.7.4|7
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|7
Front brake application uneven6
Emissions not tested |7.0|6
Rear brake binding6
Offside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated |2.5.A.2|6
Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play |2.5.A.3c|6
Battery insecure |1.9.1|5
Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated |2.5.A.2|5
Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|5
Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel |steering box fitted| |2.2.A.1a|5
Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated |2.5.A.2|5
Rear Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|5
Brake pedal spongy |3.3.B.1b|5
Offside Rear wheel cylinder leaking |3.6.A.1|5
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))5
Windscreen washer not working 4
Offside Front front brake binding |3.7.B.1|4
Service brake efficiency below requirements |1.2.2 |a| |i||4
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|4
Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|4
Nearside Rear wheel cylinder leaking |3.6.A.1|4
Offside Rear brake drum contaminated by brake fluid |3.5.1h|4
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|4
Nearside Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|4
Offside Rear fog lamp missing |1.3.2a|4
Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play |2.5.A.3c|4
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|4
Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer deteriorated |7.2.4c|4
Nearside Rear Braking system leaking |3.6.A.1|4
Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort |3.7.B.5a|4
Emissions not tested |7.3.A.1|3
Horn not working |7.7 |a| |ii||3
Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play |2.6.2|3
Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|3
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|3
Brake pedal has insufficient reserve movement |3.3.A.5|3
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|3
Nearside Front Steering locking device missing |2.2.C.1g|3
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp missing |1.3.2a|3
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|3
Offside Front Direction indicator not working |1.4.A.2c|3
Steering column flexible coupling is excessively deteriorated |2.1.5|3
Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|3
Offside front brake binding |3.7.B.1|3
Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|3
Offside Rear Braking system leaking |3.6.A.1|3
Windscreen has damage3
Windscreen wiper blade insecure3
Hazard warning lamps inoperative |1.4.B.1b|3
Nearside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))3
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|3
Nearside Rear position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|3
Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|3
Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))3
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))3
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|3
Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))2
Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii))2
Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|2
Driver`s seat insecure |6.2.A.1|2
Offside Rear brake drum contaminated by oil |3.5.1h|2
Nearside Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|2
Hazard warning switch faulty |1.4.B.1d|2
Offside Rear Braking system leaking drum |3.6.A.1|2
Nearside Front Direction indicators not working |1.4.A.2c|2
Offside Outer Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded |2.4.A.3|2
Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (1.1.2 (c))2
Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt |2.4.G.2|2
Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive |7.3.B.1b|2
Offside Rear position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|2
Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken |3.1.5|2
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|2
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|2
Rear fog lamp insecure |1.3.2a|2
Nearside Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|2
Offside Front Steering locking device missing |2.2.C.1g|2
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|2
Nearside Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases |7.1.2|2
Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|2
Rear Statutory seat belt missing |5.1.1|2
Nearside Side repeater missing |1.4.A.2b|2
Nearside front brake binding |3.7.B.1|2
Brake pedal creeps down when held under pressure |3.3.B.1a|2
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))2
Offside Obligatory mirror missing |8.1.1|2
Nearside Rear brake drum contaminated by brake fluid |3.5.1h|2
Nearside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|2
Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|2
Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated |8.2.2|2
Braking system leaking |3.6.A.1|2
Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|2
Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))2
Nearside Front Steering system has a road wheel fouling a part of the vehicle |2.2.D.2a|2
Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|2
Offside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside |1.6.B1|2
Offside Front Brake hose twisted |found during steering lock to lock check| |2.2.D.2b|2
Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated |2.5.A.2|2
Offside Side repeater not working |1.4.A.2c|2
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp obviously incorrectly positioned |1.3.2a|2
Offside Fuel system component insecure |7.2.1|2
Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))2
Offside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii))2
Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt |5.3.4 |b| |ii||2
Offside Rear Lower Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|2
Nearside Rear Lower Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|2
Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|2
Offside Direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute |1.4.A.2g|2
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|2
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|2
Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded |5.2.6|2
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))2
Nearside Front Position lamp not working |4.2.1 |a||2
Offside Rear Position lamp not working |4.2.1 |a||2
Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play |2.6.2|2
Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))2
Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings |6.1.B.2|2
rear brakes release unevenly |3.7.B.4|2
Offside Rear fog lamp not working |4.5.1 |a| |ii||2
Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|2
Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturers specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))2
Offside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush lower bush |2.7.4|2
Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|2
Nearside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|2
Offside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|2

We get to these numbers by trawling through over 1 billion MOT test results since 2004 and crunched the numbers. We remove anything to do with Tyres, as they are model independent and group together common non-model specific issues. We are trying to get to a picture of what models have what issues.

Please note: We take the data from the DVSA. This data is raw and can contain typos and spelling mistakes that garages may have entered while recording a MOT result. Specifically miss-match on names of models and makes. We are constantly cleaning the data so bear with the odd issue.

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