Model Reports 8 min read Updated 11 Sep 2026 DVSA open data · 1,449 tests analysed

Volvo S40 2007: reliability & common MOT faults

603 first-attempt MOT failures were recorded on the 2007 Volvo S40 in 2025. The items recorded most often on them were Position lamp (front) and Tyres — Condition (front). Figures are among first-attempt failed MOT tests, not among all tests.

Petrol S40 passed first time 10.0 pp more often than diesel ones (62.1% of 917 vs 52.1% of 532).

First-attempt pass

58.4%

of 1,449 first tests (2025)

First tests

1,449

test year 2025

Failed first attempts

603

failed first-attempt tests

Most common fail

11.8%

Position lamp (front)

MOT pass rates

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

First-attempt pass

58.4%

of 1,449 first tests (2025)

Official-style pass

65.4%

incl. same-day PRS fixes

First tests

1,449

class 4 · first MOT of the year

Typical age 18.0 yrs · median mileage 115,056 mi

vs 2024: +1.0 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.

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
Brake pads (rear)
Brakes > Mechanical brake components > Brake linings and pads > Brake pads
 Rear 47 ×2.0 7.8% Wear
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.

On this year, prefer the petrol. The diesel cars passed first time 10.0 pp less often, on 532 tests.

What to check on a 2007 S40

The items that failed 2007 S40 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 11.8% of failed first attempts
  • Tyres — Condition (front) — recorded on 9.6% of failed first attempts
  • Ball joint (front) — recorded on 9.1% of failed first attempts
  • Drive shafts — Joints (front) — recorded on 9.0% of failed first attempts
  • Coil spring (front) — recorded on 8.6% 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.

Petrol S40 passed first time 10.0 pp more often than diesel ones (62.1% of 917 vs 52.1% of 532). In 2025, 58.4% of 1,449 first MOTs on the 2007 Volvo S40 passed first time (PRS — items fixed at the station the same day — counted as a fail). The official-style rate including PRS is 65.4%. Among 603 failed first-attempt MOT tests (test year 2025), we highlight MOT failure patterns that show up more often than on cars…
Ranked by how often they were actually recorded, the items that failed 2007 Volvo S40s most often at the first attempt were Position lamp (front) (11.8%), Tyres — Condition (front) (9.6%) and Ball joint (front) (9.1%) — 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 answer…
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 2007 Volvo S40 (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.

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