Volkswagen Crafter
VanFrom 97,741 MOT tests. Average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
Newer Crafters fare better: 2021 models pass at 79.1% vs 70.1% for 2006.
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn and engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction. The top issue, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, caused 3,659 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement | 3,659 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 3,213 |
| engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction | 3,070 |
| brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded | 2,804 |
| a lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | 2,299 |
| windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view | 1,842 |
| parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value | 1,778 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 1,517 |
| a steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play | 1,414 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 1,392 |
How serious are these failures?
Not all MOT failures are equal. 21.1% of Crafter failures could actually strand you: fractured springs, engine faults, exhaust problems. Another 54.8% are safety issues where the car still drives but shouldn't, such as worn brakes, corroded brake pipes, and steering wear. When it does fail, the average repair bill is around £137.
The warranty question
A 3-year-old Crafter passes its MOT 79.1% of the time. By 7 years old that drops to 72.3%, a 6.8 percentage point fall, right as the manufacturer warranty runs out. At 10 years it's down to 69.5%. With an average repair bill of £137 when things go wrong, an extended warranty can make sense on a Crafter that's past its third birthday.
Volkswagen Crafter on UK roads
The fleet is growing: 9,330 newly registered in the past year with 2,355 leaving, a net gain of 6,975. Currently at its highest numbers ever.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 85,357 | 8,279 | +2,268 | -508 | +1,760 |
| 2025 Q2 | 83,857 | 8,019 | +2,245 | -665 | +1,580 |
| 2025 Q1 | 82,162 | 8,134 | +2,370 | -565 | +1,805 |
| 2024 Q4 | 80,893 | 7,598 | +2,447 | -617 | +1,830 |
| 2024 Q3 | 79,907 | 6,754 | +2,116 | -313 | +1,803 |
| 2024 Q2 | 78,395 | 6,463 | +1,728 | -690 | +1,038 |
| 2024 Q1 | 77,358 | 6,462 | +2,016 | -979 | +1,037 |
| 2023 Q4 | 76,597 | 6,186 | +1,932 | -413 | +1,519 |
20 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crafter Cr35 Trendline Tdi | Diesel | 21,121 | 27% |
| Crafter Cr35 Startline Tdi | Diesel | 18,569 | 24% |
| Crafter Cr35 Tdi | Diesel | 10,376 | 13% |
| Crafter Cr35 Commerce + Tdi | Diesel | 5,746 | 7% |
| Crafter Cr35 Trendline Tdi A | Diesel | 3,164 | 4% |
| Crafter Cr35 Tdi Bmt | Diesel | 3,085 | 4% |
| Crafter Cr35 Commerce Tdi | Diesel | 3,044 | 4% |
| Crafter Cr35 Tdi 109 Lwb | Diesel | 1,570 | 2% |
| Crafter Cr35 Commerce + Tdi A | Diesel | 1,382 | 2% |
| Crafter Cr35 109 Lwb | Diesel | 1,359 | 2% |
| Crafter Cr35 Startline Tdi Lwb | Diesel | 1,310 | 2% |
| Crafter Cr30 Startline Tdi | Diesel | 1,205 | 2% |
| Crafter Cr35 Tdi 109 Mwb | Diesel | 1,135 | 1% |
| Crafter 35 Blue Tdi 109 L | Diesel | 1,006 | 1% |
| Crafter Cr35 Startline Tdi A | Diesel | 975 | 1% |
| Crafter Cr35 109 Mwb | Diesel | 972 | 1% |
| Crafter 35 Blue Tdi 108 M | Diesel | 806 | 1% |
| Crafter Cr35 Tdi 136 Lwb | Diesel | 679 | <1% |
| Crafter Cr35 Startline Tdi Mwb | Diesel | 620 | <1% |
| Crafter Cr35 Bluemotion Tdi | Diesel | 542 | <1% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 79.1% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, a tyre seriously damaged |
| 2020 | 79.1% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
| 2019 | 80% | engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction, a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
| 2018 | 77.8% | a transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction |
12 earlier years
| 2017 | 74.6% | engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2016 | 72.3% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2015 | 71.6% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2014 | 71.3% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2013 | 69.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2012 | 67.5% | brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement |
| 2011 | 67.4% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2010 | 68.9% | engine mil illuminated indicating a malfunction, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2009 | 67.6% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2008 | 67.8% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2007 | 68.6% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn |
| 2006 | 70.1% | parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value |
Typical mileage
Half of all Crafters tested had between 99,779 and 190,276 miles on the clock. A significant number are high-mileage vehicles.
At 137,654 median miles, the Crafter has 0.019 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other Volkswagen models
| Volkswagen Golf | 79.1% |
| Volkswagen Polo | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Transporter | 73.8% |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | 84.6% |
| Volkswagen Passat | 76.9% |
Common questions
What is the Volkswagen Crafter MOT pass rate?
The Volkswagen Crafter has a 73.6% MOT pass rate based on 97,741 real MOT tests. This is around the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a Volkswagen Crafter?
The most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Crafter is parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, which caused 3,659 failures. Other common issues include a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn.
How many Volkswagen Crafters are on UK roads?
There are 85,357 Volkswagen Crafters currently licensed on UK roads, with 8,279 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a Volkswagen Crafter at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a Volkswagen Crafter is 137,654 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 99,779 and 190,276 miles.
Buying a used Crafter?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
With a 73.6% pass rate and an average repair bill of £137 when things go wrong, budget accordingly.
Van insurance works differently to car insurance. Make sure you're comparing like-for-like quotes for your use case. Compare van insurance.
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MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.