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MOT History from tests of diesel VOLKSWAGEN PASSATs year 1997

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

mot history
Pass percent:43.88%
(The average a diesel VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT year 1997 passes without issue)
Based on:39,857 MOT Tests
Most common failuresNo# failures
Headlamp aim out of alignment3886
Brake hose excessively deteriorated3267
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2314
Registration plate lamp issues2199
Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|1569
Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|1504
Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|1420
Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|1359
Nearside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|1276
Offside Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|1262
Registration plate issues1249
Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|1030
Exhaust emits an excessive level of metered smoke for a turbo charged engine |7.4.B.3b|1024
Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|1020
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|960
Offside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|959
Nearside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|927
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|924
Nearside Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|889
Offside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|887
Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|798
Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|783
Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|759
Brake hose damaged741
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|718
Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened700
Brakes imbalanced across an axle681
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|636
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|606
Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|601
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|531
Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|525
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|502
Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak |2.7.3|499
Rear brake binding497
Offside Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|463
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault454
Offside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|441
Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened440
Horn not working |1.6.2a|439
Offside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|402
Nearside Front Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|395
Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working |1.2.1b|389
Windscreen has damage385
Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|383
Brake pipe excessively corroded374
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|369
Offside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|361
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|336
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|333
Nearside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter split |2.5.C.1a|325
Nearside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|315
Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|315
Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|302
Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|296
Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|285
Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|284
Rear parking brake recording little or no effort273
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|267
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint |2.4.G.2|264
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|255
Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|252
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|245
Offside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|245
Direction indicators not working |1.4.A.2c|243
Nearside Front Direction indicators incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|242
Offside Front coil spring incomplete |2.4.C.1a|238
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam |1.7.5a|238
Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|219
Battery insecure |1.9.1|218
Offside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|214
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|213
Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|202
Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|202
Nearside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|200
Service brake: efficiency below requirements |3.7.B.7|198
Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|197
Nearside Front Brake hose excessively damaged |3.6.B.4d|193
Offside Steering rack gaiter split |2.2.D.2d|186
Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|185
Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|185
Offside Front Brake hose excessively damaged |3.6.B.4d|184
Emissions not tested |7.0|182
Offside Rear Braking system leaking |3.6.A.1|181
Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|181
Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|180
Nearside Front coil spring incomplete |2.4.C.1a|176
Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect |2.7.5|172
Offside Front coil spring fractured |2.4.C.1a|171
Parking brake lever has no reserve travel |3.1.6b|170
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|166
Nearside Front coil spring fractured |2.4.C.1a|165
Front brake application uneven161
Rear fog lamp tell tale not working |1.3.1b|161
Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|159
Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|151
Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|146
Nearside Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|143
Offside Front Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement |2.4.G.2|143
Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|142
Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image |1.2.4a|141
Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecurely mounted to its housing |2.5.C.1a|137
Nearside Rear Braking system leaking |3.6.A.1|137
Exhaust emits excessive smoke or vapour of any colour |7.4.B.4|133
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|131
Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on |8.2.1b|131
Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|128
Front Direction indicator incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|127
Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split |2.2.D.2d|126
Offside Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users |1.8.A.1a|126
Offside Rear position lamp|s| excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance |1.1.A.3d|126
Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|125
Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|125
Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|123
Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|121
Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect |1.8.A.1b|120
Offside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|118
Nearside Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users |1.8.A.1a|117
Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported |7.1.1|116
Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone `A` |8.3.1e|114
Driver`s door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle |6.2.B.1b|109
Nearside Front constant velocity joint gaiter insecurely mounted to its housing |2.5.C.1a|109
Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|108
Offside Front Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|107
Nearside Front Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|106
Nearside Front Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|104
Offside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|103
Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|102
Front position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|100
Nearside Steering rack gaiter split |2.2.D.2d|94
Rear brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|91
Rear brake application uneven90
Offside Front Upper Ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|90
Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement87
Offside Rear brake caliper leaking |3.6.A.1|85
Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault |5.4.2|85
Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|84
Windscreen wiper blade insecure84
Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam |1.7.5a|83
Nearside Rear position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|82
Offside Front Ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|81
Offside Front Upper Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|81
Nearside Front Upper Ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|79
Offside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|77
Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement |7.2.4b|77
Offside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter deteriorated to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|74
Nearside Rear brake caliper leaking |3.6.A.1|74
Nearside Front Ball joint has excessive play |2.2.B.1f|74
Nearside Rear passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle |6.2.B.1c|74
Front brake disc excessively pitted |3.5.1h|73
Nearside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced |1.7.5a|73
Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle |6.2.B.1b|72
Front Direction indicators incorrect colour |1.4.A.2f|72
Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split |2.2.D.2d|71
Nearside Outer Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged to the extent that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |2.5.C.1a|70
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively scored |3.5.1h|70
Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush |2.4.G.2|69
Rear Rear fog lamp not working |1.3.2b|69
Offside Front Lower Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint |2.5.B.1a|68
Offside Rear position lamp|s| not working |1.1.A.3b|68

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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