Volkswagen Jetta MOT Check

MOT pass rates, common failures, and reliability data for the Volkswagen Jetta. Check any Jetta by registration number below.

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80.7%

Avg Pass Rate

-4.9%

vs Volkswagen Avg

Year Ranges

Good

Reliability

Volkswagen Jetta — MOT Reliability Overview

The Volkswagen Jetta has an average MOT pass rate of 80.7%, which is 4.9 percentage points below the Volkswagen brand average of 85.7%. This is a strong result, indicating that the Jetta is well-engineered and tends to age well mechanically. Owners can expect fewer surprises at MOT time.

The most common reasons a Volkswagen Jetta fails its MOT are a wheel bearing with excessive play, the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn. If you are preparing your Jetta for its MOT, checking these areas first could save you a retest fee. Our detailed fault analysis includes estimated repair costs for each failure type.

Before buying a used Volkswagen Jetta, we recommend checking the full MOT history, write-off status, outstanding finance, and stolen vehicle status. These checks can be done for free using the registration number.

MOT Pass Rate by Year

How the Volkswagen Jetta performs at MOT across different model years.

2018

Based on 58 vehicles

84.5%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

2.6%

Retest Rate

5.3%

Mileage at 5yr

74k mi

2017

Based on 832 vehicles

77.8%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

4.4%

Retest Rate

23.3%

Mileage at 5yr

59k mi

2016

Based on 1,877 vehicles

78.8%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

4.5%

Retest Rate

21.8%

2015

Based on 2,787 vehicles

76.5%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

6.0%

Retest Rate

24.8%

Mileage at 10yr

145k mi

2014

Based on 2,417 vehicles

72.4%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

6.5%

Retest Rate

29.0%

Mileage at 10yr

152k mi

2013

Based on 2,584 vehicles

71.1%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

6.3%

Retest Rate

28.0%

Mileage at 10yr

155k mi

2012

Based on 2,907 vehicles

71.9%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

7.2%

Retest Rate

26.8%

Mileage at 10yr

171k mi

2011

Based on 2,303 vehicles

71.9%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

6.2%

Retest Rate

26.1%

2010

Based on 1,654 vehicles

71.3%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

5.6%

Retest Rate

24.8%

2009

Based on 2,811 vehicles

71.6%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

7.0%

Retest Rate

23.9%

2008

Based on 4,139 vehicles

67.2%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

8.1%

Retest Rate

29.4%

2007

Based on 5,597 vehicles

67.3%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

7.4%

Retest Rate

26.5%

2006

Based on 4,172 vehicles

66.9%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

6.5%

Retest Rate

30.2%

2005

Based on 624 vehicles

93.4%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

16.3%

Retest Rate

34.7%

Mileage at 5yr

99k mi

Mileage at 10yr

161k mi

2004

Based on 59 vehicles

94.9%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Mileage at 10yr

164k mi

2002

Based on 55 vehicles

94.5%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

2001

Based on 83 vehicles

80.7%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Mileage at 10yr

177k mi

1999

Based on 139 vehicles

84.2%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Mileage at 10yr

176k mi

1998

Based on 85 vehicles

91.8%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Mileage at 10yr

184k mi

1997

Based on 110 vehicles

84.5%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1996

Based on 119 vehicles

79.8%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1995

Based on 114 vehicles

86.8%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1994

Based on 161 vehicles

88.8%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1993

Based on 237 vehicles

90.7%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1992

Based on 226 vehicles

88.5%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

1991

Based on 264 vehicles

82.2%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

1.5%

Retest Rate

9.0%

1990

Based on 189 vehicles

82.5%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

2.3%

Retest Rate

18.0%

1989

Based on 124 vehicles

71.0%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

5.6%

Retest Rate

20.2%

1988

Based on 85 vehicles

77.6%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

1.6%

Retest Rate

8.2%

1987

Based on 73 vehicles

93.2%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

1986

Based on 50 vehicles

74.0%Average

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

16.2%

1985

Based on 32 vehicles

90.6%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

1983

Based on 39 vehicles

89.7%Excellent

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Dangerous Defects

0.0%

Retest Rate

8.7%

0

Based on 19,669 vehicles

75.9%Good

Volkswagen average: 85.7%

Mileage at 5yr

110k mi

Top MOT Failures — Volkswagen Jetta

The most common reasons a Volkswagen Jetta fails its MOT, aggregated across all year ranges.

A wheel bearing with excessive play

9.7%

The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

4.2%

A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

3.2%

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

2.8%

A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

2.7%

Volkswagen Jetta Common Faults & Repair Costs

Where Failures Occur

The areas of the vehicle most commonly flagged during MOT inspections.

Offside

13.8%

Nearside

3.4%

Front Nearside Lower

1.7%

Other Volkswagen Models

Compare MOT reliability across Volkswagen models.

Volkswagen Passat Variant Syncro

92.3% pass rate

Volkswagen Vento

88.2% pass rate

Volkswagen Golf Variant 1km

92.9% pass rate

Volkswagen T-roc Black Edition Tsi

93.5% pass rate

Volkswagen Golf Sv Se Navigation Tsi

75.0% pass rate

Volkswagen LT

60.3% pass rate

Useful MOT Guides

Common MOT Failures

The most common reasons UK vehicles fail their MOT — and how to prepare.

MOT Checklist

Pre-MOT checklist to improve your chances of passing first time.

Advisory vs Failure

Understanding the difference between MOT advisories and failures.

See detailed fault analysis for Volkswagen Jetta

Volkswagen Jetta — Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the Volkswagen Jetta MOT and reliability.

What is the MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Jetta?

The average MOT pass rate for the Volkswagen Jetta is 80.7% compared to the Volkswagen average of 85.7%. Pass rates vary by year — check the year-by-year breakdown on this page for details.

What are the most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Jetta?

The most common MOT failures on the Volkswagen Jetta are: A wheel bearing with excessive play (9.7%), The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (4.2%), A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (3.2%). These are the components most likely to cause an MOT failure.

Is the Volkswagen Jetta reliable?

With an average MOT pass rate of 80.7%, the Volkswagen Jetta is rated as "Good" for reliability. This is a strong result suggesting good build quality and fewer common defects.

How do I check the MOT history of a Volkswagen Jetta?

Enter the vehicle's registration number in the search box at the top of this page. You will instantly see the complete MOT history including every test result, mileage readings, advisories, and dangerous defects — completely free.

What mileage should I expect on a Volkswagen Jetta?

Typical mileage for the Volkswagen Jetta: 74,286 miles at 5 years. Use these benchmarks when evaluating a used Jetta to spot vehicles with unusually high or low mileage.

Check Your Volkswagen Jetta's MOT History

Enter the registration number for the full MOT history — free and instant.