Volvo S40 2002: MOT failure rate for its age
49.0% of 5,242 MOT tests of the Volvo S40 first registered in 2002 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 101.7 (95% CI 97.8–105.6; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2002 build year is no different from other years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 49.0 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 5242 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 97.8–105.6) | 101.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 5242 |
| Rank among this model's 16 build years | 12 | of 16 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 5242 |
| Tested in 2024 | 443 | tests | median 94,469 miles | 2024 | 443 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2002 Volvo S40 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 22 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1,543 | 50.5 | 48–53 | 50.2 | 100.6 |
| 18 | 1,109 | 48.2 | 45.2–51.1 | 46.7 | 103.1 |
| 19 | 898 | 46.9 | 43.6–50.2 | 47.1 | 99.6 |
| 20 | 687 | 50.5 | 46.8–54.2 | 48.1 | 105.1 |
| 21 | 562 | 46.1 | 42–50.2 | 46.2 | 99.8 |
| 22 | 443 (rough estimate) | 51.2 | 46.6–55.9 | 49.5 | 103.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,242 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2002 Volvo S40?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2002 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 49.2 items per 100 first tests, against 34.6 across all build years of the Volvo S40. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2002 were tested at ages 17 to 22.
| Failure group | Built 2002, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 49.2 | 34.6 | 2,579 |
| Suspension | 47 | 30 | 2,464 |
| Brakes | 36.1 | 19.1 | 1,890 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 14.7 | 12.1 | 771 |
| Visibility | 13 | 9.8 | 683 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 5,242 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2002 compare with the years around it?
Among the 16 published build years of the Volvo S40, 2002 ranks 12 (1 = fails least for its age). 2001: index 96.7. 2003: index 106.8.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 98.7 | 89.4–107.9 | no different (rough estimate) | 859 |
| 1999 | 99.4 | 92.2–106.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,413 |
| 2000 | 93.8 | 88.3–99.3 | better (rough estimate) | 2,356 |
| 2001 | 96.7 | 92.1–101.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 3,474 |
| 2002 | 101.7 | 97.8–105.6 | no different | 5,242 |
| 2003 | 106.8 | 103.3–110.2 | worse | 7,423 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 101.9–107.3 | worse | 12,121 |
| 2005 | 98.9 | 96.5–101.2 | no different | 14,965 |
| 2006 | 93.4 | 91.2–95.7 | better | 15,515 |
| 2007 | 95.8 | 93.4–98.1 | better | 15,558 |
| 2008 | 100.0 | 98.0–102.0 | no different | 23,065 |
| 2009 | 98.0 | 95.7–100.3 | no different | 17,663 |
| 2010 | 99.9 | 97.3–102.5 | no different | 14,269 |
| 2011 | 102.5 | 99.3–105.8 | no different | 9,827 |
| 2012 | 96.2 | 92.8–99.7 | better | 8,219 |
| 2013 | 107.7 | 84.1–131.4 | no different (rough estimate) | 209 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 152,178 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). Volvo S40 2002 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/volvo-s40/2002/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
Volvo S40 1998 · Volvo S40 1999 · Volvo S40 2000 · Volvo S40 2001 · Volvo S40 2003 · Volvo S40 2004 · Volvo S40 2005 · Volvo S40 2006 · Volvo S40 2007 · Volvo S40 2008 · Volvo S40 2009 · Volvo S40 2010 · Volvo S40 2011 · Volvo S40 2012 · Volvo S40 2013 · Volvo S40 in Norway · Volvo S40 in Finland · Volvo S40 in the Netherlands · Volvo S40 by postcode area · Volvo S40 body, chassis and structure failures · Volvo S40 brakes failures · Volvo S40 vehicle identification failures · Volvo S40 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volvo S40 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volvo S40 road wheels failures · Volvo S40 seat belts and airbags failures · Volvo S40 steering failures · Volvo S40 suspension failures · Volvo S40 tyres failures · Volvo S40 visibility failures