Does the Volvo XC40 fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?

The Volvo XC40 records 4.25 brakes failure items per 100 initial MOT tests (2019–2024), against 2.83 expected for a car of the same age mix: more than expected for its class and age (+1.42, 95% interval +1.31 to +1.52). It ranks 253 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 XC40 by registration

What exactly fails on brakes?

The most frequent DVSA defect wording in this group on the Volvo XC40 is “a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm”, recorded 5,149 times in 2019–2024.

Volvo XC40: most frequent brakes defect wordings, 2019–2024 (30+ items each)
DVSA defect wording	Items	Per 100 tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm	5,149	3.45
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn	326	0.22
Brake performance unable to be tested	133	0.09
Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator	132	0.09
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement	95	0.06

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 149,372 (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 XC40 gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?

7.2% of Volvo XC40 MOTs with a brakes advisory were followed by a fail in the same group at the next MOT, typically 11.9 months and 8,877 miles later (10,616 advisories followed).

Source: DVSA MOT bulk data (OGL v3.0) · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,616 (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

Does the Volvo XC40 fail the MOT on brakes more than it should?

What exactly fails on brakes?

If a Volvo XC40 gets a brakes advisory, how often does it fail next time?

Related pages

Other pages for this model