Volvo V40 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
53.9% of 10,688 MOT tests of the Volvo V40 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 99.5 (95% CI 97.0–102.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2003 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 | 53.9 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 10688 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 97.0–102.1) | 99.5 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 10688 |
| Rank among this model's 15 build years | 9 | of 15 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 10688 |
| Tested in 2024 | 934 | tests | median 122,379 miles | 2024 | 934 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 Volvo V40 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 2,972 | 55.5 | 53.7–57.3 | 59.4 | 93.4 |
| 17 | 2,258 | 54.5 | 52.5–56.6 | 55.1 | 99 |
| 18 | 1,863 | 53.1 | 50.9–55.4 | 52.3 | 101.7 |
| 19 | 1,479 | 53.4 | 50.9–55.9 | 50.9 | 104.9 |
| 20 | 1,182 | 51.8 | 48.9–54.6 | 49.8 | 103.9 |
| 21 | 934 | 52.7 | 49.5–55.9 | 50 | 105.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,688 (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 2003 Volvo V40?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is suspension: 55.2 items per 100 first tests, against 12.3 across all build years of the Volvo V40. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 55.2 | 12.3 | 5,898 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 51.3 | 7.9 | 5,487 |
| Brakes | 41.9 | 7.9 | 4,480 |
| Body, chassis, structure | 17.2 | 2.9 | 1,836 |
| Steering | 16.6 | 1.3 | 1,771 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,688 (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 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 15 published build years of the Volvo V40, 2003 ranks 9 (1 = fails least for its age). 2002: index 97.5. 2004: index 98.1.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 109.0 | 99.2–118.9 | no different (rough estimate) | 812 |
| 1999 | 103.5 | 96.8–110.1 | no different (rough estimate) | 1,685 |
| 2000 | 96.0 | 91.0–101.1 | no different (rough estimate) | 2,754 |
| 2001 | 94.8 | 91.2–98.4 | better | 5,411 |
| 2002 | 97.5 | 94.6–100.5 | no different | 8,082 |
| 2003 | 99.5 | 97.0–102.1 | no different | 10,688 |
| 2004 | 98.1 | 95.2–101.1 | no different | 8,110 |
| 2012 | 101.7 | 98.8–104.7 | no different | 14,681 |
| 2013 | 99.9 | 98.5–101.3 | no different | 69,389 |
| 2014 | 106.7 | 105.5–108.0 | worse | 98,220 |
| 2015 | 108.0 | 106.7–109.4 | worse | 94,701 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 97.1–99.8 | better | 93,137 |
| 2017 | 91.4 | 89.8–93.0 | better | 71,519 |
| 2018 | 93.7 | 91.8–95.7 | better | 52,113 |
| 2019 | 91.3 | 88.3–94.3 | better | 24,939 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 556,241 (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 V40 2003 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-v40/2003/
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 V40 1998 · Volvo V40 1999 · Volvo V40 2000 · Volvo V40 2001 · Volvo V40 2002 · Volvo V40 2004 · Volvo V40 2012 · Volvo V40 2013 · Volvo V40 2014 · Volvo V40 2015 · Volvo V40 2016 · Volvo V40 2017 · Volvo V40 2018 · Volvo V40 2019 · Volvo V40 in Norway · Volvo V40 in Finland · Volvo V40 in the Netherlands · Volvo V40 by postcode area · Volvo V40 body, chassis and structure failures · Volvo V40 brakes failures · Volvo V40 vehicle identification failures · Volvo V40 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · Volvo V40 noise, emissions and leaks failures · Volvo V40 road wheels failures · Volvo V40 seat belts and airbags failures · Volvo V40 steering failures · Volvo V40 suspension failures · Volvo V40 tyres failures · Volvo V40 visibility failures