Does the Volvo V40 fail the MOT on steering more than it should?
The Volvo V40 records 1.32 steering failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 1.67 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) (−0.35, 95% interval −0.38 to −0.31). It ranks 266 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 V40 by registration
What exactly fails on steering?
The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volvo V40 is “Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc”, recorded 3,118 times in 2019–2024.
| DVSA defect wording | Items | Per 100 tests |
|---|---|---|
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 3,118 | 0.56 |
| Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated | 2,168 | 0.39 |
| A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 1,652 | 0.29 |
| A steering ball joint worn to the extent there is a serious risk of detachment | 140 | 0.02 |
| Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is excessive | 64 | 0.01 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 561,232 (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 V40 gets a steering advisory, how often does it fail next time?
14.1% of Volvo V40 MOTs with a steering advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 12.1 months and 4,927 miles later (1,309 advisories followed).
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 1,309 (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 V40 1998 · Volvo V40 1999 · Volvo V40 2000 · Volvo V40 2001 · Volvo V40 2002 · Volvo V40 2003 · 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 suspension failures · Volvo V40 tyres failures · Volvo V40 visibility failures