Does the Volvo 240 fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?
The Volvo 240 records 19.86 brakes failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 20.32 expected for a car of the same age mix: about as expected for its class and age (the difference is within its interval or under 0.5 items per 100 tests) (−0.46, 95% interval −1.38 to +0.46). It ranks 351 of 712 models on brakes (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on brakes · check a Volvo 240 by registration
What exactly fails on brakes?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volvo 240 is “Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement”, recorded 241 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 241 | 2.63 |
| Brakes imbalance across an axle such that the braking effort from any wheel is less than 70% of the maximum effort recorded from the other wheel on the same axle. | 225 | 2.45 |
| Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake | 218 | 2.37 |
| Service brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 124 | 1.35 |
| a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm | 119 | 1.30 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 9,179 (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 Volvo 240 gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?
16.3% of Volvo 240 MOTs with a brakes advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12 months and 502 miles later (1,426 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,426 (advisories followed) · Method: the same vehicles followed to their next ordinary MOT · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
Other pages for this model
Volvo 240 in Norway · Volvo 240 in the Netherlands · Volvo 240 by postcode area · Volvo 240 body, chassis and structure failures · Volvo 240 vehicle identification failures · Volvo 240 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volvo 240 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volvo 240 seat belts and airbags failures · Volvo 240 steering failures · Volvo 240 suspension failures · Volvo 240 tyres failures · Volvo 240 visibility failures