Vauxhall Omega: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Vauxhall Omega fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 8.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,114 individual Vauxhall Omega tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 68% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Vauxhall Omegas presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Vauxhall Omega tested had covered 101,194 miles and was built around 2001.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Vauxhall Omega sits 8.7 points below the national average, ranked 1,807 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Vauxhall Omega rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Vauxhall Omegas at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Vauxhall Omega

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 10% of tests (10.55x the national rate for this defect)
2. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 2% of tests (9.48x the national rate for this defect)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 7.2% of tests (6.72x the national rate for this defect)
4. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 3% of tests (5.8x the national rate for this defect)
5. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.8% of tests (5.07x the national rate for this defect)
6. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.9% of tests (3.81x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.8% of tests (2.48x the national rate for this defect)
8. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 7% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)
10. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,114 DVSA-tracked Vauxhall Omega tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.18% of these flagged Vauxhall Omega defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Vauxhall Omega

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Vauxhall Omega before it actually fails on it.

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 15.7% of tests (10.35x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 10.7% of tests (8.59x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 41.4% of tests (6.68x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 5.4% of tests (4.87x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 5.2% of tests (4.09x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 22.4% of tests (4.02x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 11.4% of tests (4.01x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 11.5% of tests (2.43x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 6% of tests (2.27x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 11.6% of tests (2.24x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,114 DVSA-tracked Vauxhall Omega tests, 2024.

Vauxhall Omega pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Vauxhall Omega year:

• 2001 Vauxhall Omega - 75.5% first-time pass, 208 tests
• 2002 Vauxhall Omega - 66% first-time pass, 259 tests
• 2003 Vauxhall Omega - 69.9% first-time pass, 332 tests

Other Vauxhall models

• Vauxhall Corsa - 70%
• Vauxhall Astra - 71.9%
• Vauxhall Mokka - 75.6%
• Vauxhall Zafira - 68.7%
• Vauxhall Insignia - 73.5%
• Vauxhall Vivaro - 59.7%
• Vauxhall Meriva - 68.9%
• Vauxhall Combo - 66.3%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Honda Accord - 68%
• Volkswagen Caravelle - 68%
• Ssangyong Musso - 68%
• Isuzu D-Max Utah D/C Intercooler Td - 68%
• Hyundai Iload - 67.9%
• Rover 214 - 67.9%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate