Volvo 240: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Volvo 240 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,324 individual Volvo 240 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 67.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 32 in every 100 Volvo 240s 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 Volvo 240 tested had covered 144,340 miles and was built around 1990.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Volvo 240 sits 9 points below the national average, ranked 1,813 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 Volvo 240 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 Volvo 240s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Volvo 240

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 5.6% of tests (20.9x the national rate for this defect)
2. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.5% of tests (10.95x the national rate for this defect)
3. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 3.7% of tests (10.44x the national rate for this defect)
4. 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, 8.9% of tests (9.43x the national rate for this defect)
5. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.9% of tests (6.69x the national rate for this defect)
6. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 3.7% of tests (4.14x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.9% of tests (3.87x the national rate for this defect)
8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.9% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 4.4% of tests (2.59x the national rate for this defect)
10. Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 3.2% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,326 DVSA-tracked Volvo 240 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 2.44% of these flagged Volvo 240 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Volvo 240

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 Volvo 240 before it actually fails on it.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 10.9% of tests (19.38x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 10.1% of tests (15.57x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 7.7% of tests (6.18x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. 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, 7.9% of tests (5.22x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 11.6% of tests (4.08x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 18.9% of tests (3.66x the national rate for this advisory)
7. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 18.8% of tests (3.38x the national rate for this advisory)
8. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 3.6% of tests (2.84x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 5.1% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this advisory)
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 8.4% of tests (1.77x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,326 DVSA-tracked Volvo 240 tests, 2024.

Other Volvo models

• Volvo V40 - 76.1%
• Volvo Xc60 - 81.2%
• Volvo Xc90 - 75.2%
• Volvo Xc40 - 90.5%
• Volvo V70 - 69%
• Volvo V60 - 79%
• Volvo V50 - 60.4%
• Volvo C30 - 65.2%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Rover 214 - 67.9%
• Iveco Daily - 67.8%
• Vauxhall Agila - 67.7%
• Ford Transit - 67.6%
• Mercedes-Benz Clk - 67.5%
• Chevrolet Trax - 67.5%

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?

Embed this data

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<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/volvo-240"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/volvo-240.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="Volvo 240 most common MOT failure: The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired (5.6% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate