Does the Volkswagen Beetle fail the MOT on lamps, reflectors and electrics more than it should?
The Volkswagen Beetle records 34.20 lamps, reflectors and electrics failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 27.25 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+6.95, 95% interval +6.75 to +7.15). It ranks 118 of 729 models on lamps, reflectors and electrics (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on lamps, reflectors and electrics · check a Volkswagen Beetle by registration
What exactly fails on lamps, reflectors and electrics?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volkswagen Beetle is “The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements”, recorded 17,664 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | 17,664 | 5.43 |
| A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED | 12,145 | 3.73 |
| A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources | 11,080 | 3.41 |
| Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective | 9,991 | 3.07 |
| Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 9,868 | 3.03 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 325,356 (initial tests) · Method: failure items (major and minor) grouped by DVSA's defect tree; wordings with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
If a Volkswagen Beetle gets a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory, how often does it fail next time?
36.2% of Volkswagen Beetle MOTs with a lamps, reflectors and electrics advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 3,690 miles later (8,844 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 8,844 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
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