Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 9,127 tests analysed

Vauxhall Vivaro 2013: reliability & common MOT faults

4,750 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2013 Vauxhall Vivaro in 2025. Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Position lamp (front) was the most common reason a 2013 Vivaro failed its MOT — 17.9% of its failed first attempts.

First-attempt pass

48.0%

of 9,127 first tests (2025)

First tests

9,127

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

4,750

failed first-attempt tests

MOT pass rates

First-attempt and official-style rates among class 4 first tests of the year.

First-attempt pass

48.0%

of 9,127 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

56.1%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

9,127

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 12.0 yrs · median mileage 133,774 mi

vs 2024: -0.1 pp first-attempt

Note:

  • Class 4 cars · first MOT of the year per vehicle · P/PRS/F outcomes (2025 data).
  • PRS (fixed at the station the same day) counts as a fail in the first-attempt rate.
  • Raw outcomes for this cohort — not adjusted for age, mileage, or peer mix.
  • MOT doesn't test engine or gearbox internals.

Common faults

Failure patterns that show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars.

These MOT failure patterns show up more often on this registration year than on similar cars of the same class, age, and mileage.

Shares below are measured across the 4,722 of 4,750 failed first attempts (99.4%) that recorded an odometer reading in 2025 — the subset the age-and-mileage comparison can be computed on.

Standout: Hazard warning — Switch — 5.2% of this year's failed first attempts

Recorded on 245 of those tests. It tops the table on elevation — about 29× more often than on similar cars of the same age and mileage. That is what makes it unusual for its class, which is a different question from what is most likely to fail; the buying checklist ranks by that. The full ranked list is in the table below.

Fault pattern Location Failures vs similar cars Share of fails Confidence
Hazard warning — Switch
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment > Hazard warning > Switch
 Any 245 ×29 5.2% Strong
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Pins and bushes
 Front 152 ×17 3.2% Strong
Macpherson strut (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Macpherson strut
 Front 238 ×12 5.0% Strong
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Front 98 ×7.6 2.1% Likely
Rigid brake pipes (rear)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Rear 334 ×6.3 7.1% Strong
Pins and bushes (rear)
Suspension > Suspension arms > Pins and bushes
 Rear 244 ×5.3 5.2% Strong
Rigid brake pipes (front)
Brakes > Rigid brake pipes
 Front 168 ×5.1 3.6% Strong
Track rod end (front)
Steering > Steering linkage components > Track rod end
 Front 838 ×3.3 17.7% Likely
Parking brake performance (rear)
Brakes > Brake performance > Parking brake performance > Rbt > Parking brake performance
 Rear 182 ×3.2 3.9% Likely
Wheel bearings (front)
Suspension > Wheel bearings
 Front 151 ×2.6 3.2% Possible

Only patterns that clear minimum sample and elevation thresholds are shown (at least 20 failures and about 2.0× more often than similar cars).

Note: Rates and comparisons are among first-attempt failed tests, not all MOTs. Patterns come from MOT defect codes — not manufacturer service bulletins, recalls, or a diagnosis of any individual car. Failures and advisories are listed separately.

Advisories

Notes recorded at the test that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory notes recorded on failed first-attempt tests that appear more often than on similar cars.

Advisory pattern Location Notes vs similar cars Share Confidence
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Sub-frames > Pins and bushes
 Front 122 ×20 2.6% Likely
Cable
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake cables, rods, levers and linkages > Cable
 Any 21 ×13 0.4% Likely
Pins and bushes (front)
Suspension > Anti-roll bars > Pins and bushes
 Front 133 ×7.7 2.8% Likely
Integral vehicle structure condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Integral vehicle structure > Integral vehicle structure condition
 Front 42 ×7.4 0.9% Possible
Other components
Steering > Power steering > Other components
 Any 39 ×7.1 0.8% Elevated
Chassis condition (front)
Body, chassis, structure > Chassis > Chassis condition
 Front 33 ×6.9 0.7% Possible
Seat belts — Condition
Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems > Seat belts > Condition
 Any 27 ×6.3 0.6% Elevated
Attachment bracket and mounting (front)
Suspension > Macpherson strut > Attachment bracket and mounting
 Front 25 ×5.9 0.5% Likely
Note: Advisories are not a fail rate — they flag issues noted at the test, often before they become failures.

If you are buying one

What this year's MOT record means for the decision in front of you.

Nothing separates this year from the Vivaros either side of it, so buy on the individual car. The checks below are the items that actually failed 2013 Vivaros, commonest first.

Other Vivaro years worth knowing about

Newer cars always pass more often, so a plain "best year" list would just rank by age. These are the years that beat or miss the trend their own neighbouring years set — the only age-adjusted signal this data supports.

Year vs the years either side First-attempt pass (rises with newer cars) First tests
2012 Vivaro -2.0 pp worse 45.1% 7,619

What to check on a 2013 Vivaro

The items that failed 2013 Vivaros most often, as a share of the year's failed first attempts. This is what goes wrong, not what is unusual — the table further up the page covers that.

  • Position lamp (front) — recorded on 17.9% of failed first attempts
  • Track rod end (front) — recorded on 17.7% of failed first attempts
  • Rbt (sp) — recorded on 15.3% of failed first attempts
  • Ball joint (front) — recorded on 12.5% of failed first attempts
  • Drive shafts — Joints (front) — recorded on 10.5% of failed first attempts

Every figure here is a first-attempt MOT rate from DVSA open data for this model line. MOTs do not test engine or gearbox internals, so this is a pre-purchase checklist, not a full reliability score.

FAQs

Short answers about how to read this model-year guide.

Position lamp (front) was the most common reason a 2013 Vivaro failed its MOT — 17.9% of its failed first attempts. In 2025, 48.0% of 9,127 first MOTs on the 2013 Vauxhall Vivaro passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 56.1%. Among 4,750 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), Hazard warning — Switch appears more often t…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2013 Vauxhall Vivaros most often at the first attempt were Position lamp (front) (17.9%), Track rod end (front) (17.7%) and Rbt (sp) (15.3%) — each as a share of the year's failed first attempts. That is what goes wrong on the car. It is a different question from which patterns are unusual for the class, which the common-faults table answers.
Among failed first-attempt tests we highlight patterns that appear more often than on similar cars. Top example: Hazard warning — Switch (5.2% of those tests; 245 observed failures; about 29× more often than similar cars). These are statistical signals, not a diagnosis of any individual car.
Hazard warning — Switch shows up more often than on similar cars (5.2% of those tests; 245 observed failures; about 29× more often than similar cars). That does not prove a design fault — age, mileage, and how the car was used still matter. Treat it as a pre-purchase check point, not a manufacturer service bulletin.
Common MOT problem areas for the 2013 Vauxhall Vivaro include Hazard warning — Switch, Pins and bushes (front), Macpherson strut (front). These patterns show up more often than on similar cars after we filter out sparse noise — not a full list of every possible fault on an individual car.
Advisories flag issues noted at the test and are not a fail rate. We show advisory patterns that appear more often than on similar cars among failed first-attempt tests, separate from common failure rows. Use them as early-warning checks, not as a pass/fail score.
This page highlights MOT failure patterns for the 2013 Vauxhall Vivaro (registration year) using UK DVSA open data for the selected test year. Patterns are compared with cars of a similar age and mileage. It is a buyer checklist from MOT defect statistics — not a full service history or manufacturer service-bulletin list.
No. MOT tests do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronic modules. Patterns here come from MOT defect statistics only and should not be read as engine or gearbox reliability scores.

About this data

How this page is built and what it can (and can't) say.

These figures come from UK MOT open data for this model year. We surface common failure patterns against similar cars — not a full reliability score, and not a pass/fail verdict on any individual vehicle.

2024 2025

What we include

UK Class 4 cars only. Normal MOT tests (not retests); first test per vehicle per calendar year; results pass, PRS, or fail.

Same-day repairs

PRS means the car failed items that were fixed at the test station and then passed the same day. We count PRS as a first-attempt fail in headline rates so same-day repairs do not hide problems.

How we compare

We compare this model year with other Class 4 cars of similar age and mileage in the same test year. This model family is left out of the peer group so the car is not measured against itself.

What this does not cover

  • MOTs do not cover engine internals, gearboxes, or many electronics — this is not a full reliability score.
  • Common faults come from MOT defect stats, not manufacturer TSBs or recalls.
  • Age and mileage matching reduces — but does not remove — differences in how cars were used and maintained.
  • We never invent pass rates, star scores, or ranks when those data marts are missing.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Check any vehicle’s MOT history

Full MOT history, mileage records, and reliability insights for any UK vehicle.

Run a free check