Does the Volvo 700 Series fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Volvo 700 Series records 10.61 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 7.68 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+2.93, 95% interval +1.93 to +3.94). It ranks 100 of 640 models on steering (1 = most failures above expected).
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · all models on steering · check a Volvo 700 Series by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volvo 700 Series is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated”, recorded 159 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 159 | 3.91 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 126 | 3.10 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 80 | 1.97 |
| Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning | 38 | 0.93 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 4,070 (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
Other pages for this model
Volvo 700 Series by postcode area · Volvo 700 Series body, chassis and structure failures · Volvo 700 Series brakes failures · Volvo 700 Series vehicle identification failures · Volvo 700 Series lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volvo 700 Series noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volvo 700 Series seat belts and airbags failures · Volvo 700 Series suspension failures · Volvo 700 Series tyres failures · Volvo 700 Series visibility failures