Volkswagen Amarok MOT Failures
An analysis of 397,363 real DVSA MOT tests on the Volkswagen Amarok — what fails, how often, and how that compares to every other car on UK roads. Generations covered: 2H (2010–2022).
Where the Volkswagen Amarok fails its MOT
The single biggest MOT failure point on the Volkswagen Amarok is steering rack wear — this model is 472 times more likely to fail on this item than the average car on UK roads. That makes it an extreme outlier for anyone buying or owning this model. Across 397,363 MOT tests, 0.46% of all Volkswagen Amarok tests recorded this as a failure.
Steering faults include worn track rod ends, power steering leaks, and rack wear. These are safety-critical — any play in the steering should be investigated immediately.
Other notable weak points include anti-roll bar links worn (11x the fleet average), parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (51x the fleet average), emissions failure (12x the fleet average), and electrical wiring fault (29x the fleet average). These ratios compare the Volkswagen Amarok's failure rate on each item against the national average for all cars tested — a ratio of 10x means this model fails ten times more often than a typical car.
The failures span 5 categories: Steering, Suspension, Brakes, Exhaust & Emissions, Lights & Electrics. If you're inspecting a Volkswagen Amarok before purchase, these are the areas to focus on — and if any have been flagged as advisories on a previous MOT, they're likely to become failures in the near future.
How failures change with mileage
The Volkswagen Amarok's weak points shift as the car covers more miles. Understanding these patterns helps you know what to expect — and what to budget for — at each stage of ownership.
Under 60,000 miles
At this mileage, most failures are either design-related or caused by age rather than wear. Components like bushes and drop links may not have been replaced yet, and original-fit parts can deteriorate even on low-mileage cars that spend a lot of time sitting.
For the Volkswagen Amarok specifically, the DVSA data shows the most common failures at this mileage are steering rack wear (472x the average) and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (51x). abs fault (17x) and headlight fault (14x) also appear frequently.
60,000 to 100,000 miles
This is where routine wear items start to show up. Brake components, tyres, and exhaust parts have done serious work by this point. Cars that have been well serviced will show fewer of these failures — this mileage band is where good maintenance really separates the well-kept from the neglected.
For the Volkswagen Amarok specifically, the DVSA data shows the most common failures at this mileage are steering rack wear (326x the average) and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (35x). parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the r... (34x) and electrical wiring fault (28x) also appear frequently.
Over 100,000 miles
High-mileage cars accumulate failures across multiple systems. The key question isn't whether things will need doing — they will — but whether the car has been maintained well enough to keep on top of them. Look for a consistent service history and recent MOT passes with minimal advisories.
For the Volkswagen Amarok specifically, the DVSA data shows the most common failures at this mileage are steering rack wear (219x the average) and contaminated with oil, grease etc (51x). electrical wiring fault (28x) and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement (13x) also appear frequently.
Known issues beyond the MOT
An MOT only tests roadworthiness at a single point in time — it won't catch developing faults, intermittent problems, or issues that haven't yet reached the failure threshold. These are the issues that Volkswagen Amarok specialists and owners flag most frequently, drawn from manufacturer technical bulletins, workshop data, and verified owner reports.
Steering linkage component excessive movement (2H) Dangerous
The Amarok suffers from premature wear in steering linkage components, particularly track rod ends and steering tie rods. Affects 2H; typical independent garage repair cost is £200–£400.
Parking brake efficiency failure (2H) Major
The Amarok's parking brake system shows exceptionally high failure rates with MOT data indicating failures at 76.9 times the fleet average. Affects 2H; typical independent garage repair cost is £150–£350.
Shock absorber failure and leakage (2H) Major
Amarok shock absorbers show premature failure with MOT data revealing failures at 281.2 times the fleet average, with the highest failure rate occurring surprisingly early at 20-40k miles. Affects 2H; typical independent garage repair cost is £200–£400.
Suspension bush wear (2H)
The Amarok experiences accelerated wear of suspension bushes with MOT failures occurring at 281.2 times the fleet average, peaking at 60-80k miles. Affects 2H; typical independent garage repair cost is £150–£300.
For the complete picture — including repair costs across independent, specialist, and dealer garages — see the full Volkswagen Amarok common problems breakdown.
What to check before buying a Volkswagen Amarok
Based on the MOT failure data and known issues above, here's what to prioritise when inspecting a Volkswagen Amarok:
Steering — check for steering rack wear. Suspension — check for anti-roll bar links worn, coil springs broken. Brakes — check for parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the r..., contaminated with oil, grease etc. Exhaust & Emissions — check for emissions failure.
Beyond the MOT items, ask specifically about steering linkage component excessive movement and parking brake efficiency failure. These won't show up on a standard MOT but can be expensive to fix — repairs start from £200. A specialist pre-purchase inspection is worth the investment on this model.
Always check the car's full MOT history for patterns — recurring advisories often become failures within 12 months. And verify the service history to confirm maintenance has been kept up to schedule. Enter any reg into our free car check to see the complete picture.
Looking at a specific Volkswagen Amarok?
Enter the reg to see its full MOT history, mileage records, write-off status, and finance checks.
Volkswagen Amarok MOT FAQs
What are the most common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Amarok?
Based on 397,363 DVSA MOT tests, the most common failure is steering rack wear — at 472x the national fleet average. Other frequent failures include anti-roll bar links worn and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement.
Is the Volkswagen Amarok reliable based on MOT data?
The Volkswagen Amarok has 15 MOT failure categories above the fleet average. Specialists also flag steering linkage component excessive movement as a concern. A pre-purchase inspection and service history check are recommended.
What MOT failures should I expect at high mileage?
Above 100,000 miles, the Volkswagen Amarok most commonly fails on steering rack wear and contaminated with oil, grease etc. Under 60,000 miles, the main issues are steering rack wear and parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement.
How do I check a Volkswagen Amarok's MOT history?
Enter the registration number into our free car check above. You'll see every MOT test result, advisories and failures, mileage readings, write-off status, and finance checks.
MOT failure data sourced from DVSA bulk test records via data.gov.uk. Ratios compare this model's failure rate against the national fleet average. Known issues sourced from manufacturer bulletins, specialist workshops, and verified owner reports.