Diesel Volvo S40: MOT pass rate

62.5% of diesel Volvo S40s pass the MOT first time, measured across 8,500 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 121,966.

Diesel against the other Volvo S40 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the Volvo S40 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 64.6%, and this diesel version sits 1.1 points below the 63.6% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The diesel Volvo S40 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average diesel Volvo S40 had covered 121,966 miles at test, against 99,736 for the petrol. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the Volvo S40 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel Volvo S40

1. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests (4.93x the national rate for this defect)
2. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 6.6% of tests (4.28x the national rate for this defect)
3. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.7% of tests (3.66x the national rate for this defect)
4. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 7% of tests (3.07x the national rate for this defect)
5. A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps, 2.7% of tests (3.01x the national rate for this defect)
6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 4.5% of tests (2.66x the national rate for this defect)
7. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 5.6% of tests (2.5x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 11.9% of tests (2.37x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 5.4% of tests (2.29x the national rate for this defect)
10. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.7% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this defect)

From 8,547 DVSA-tracked diesel Volvo S40 tests, 2024, split out from the Volvo S40's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.98% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a diesel Volvo S40

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 5.4% of tests (3.93x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 11.3% of tests (2.19x the national rate for this defect)
3. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 10.1% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this defect), also fails
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 26.9% of tests (2.02x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 10.2% of tests (1.83x the national rate for this defect)
6. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.8% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this defect)
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 4.5% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 39.4% of tests (1.48x the national rate for this defect)
9. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 2.8% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 16.1% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect)

From 8,547 DVSA-tracked diesel Volvo S40 tests, 2024.

Other Volvo S40 fuel types

• Petrol Volvo S40 - 64.6%

All Volvo S40 MOT data · Every model