Volkswagen Golf: lighting & signalling MOT failures
Lighting & signalling was a recorded failure area in 7.6% of Volkswagen Golf MOT tests in this dataset. It is most prominent on 2004, 2005 cars.
Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair cost: £10–£150 (rough UK ballpark, not a quote).
Lighting & signalling failures by year
| Model year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 4,267 | 14.3% |
| 1995 | 3,526 | 14.3% |
| 1996 | 6,541 | 14.2% |
| 1997 | 6,843 | 14.3% |
| 1998 | 10,075 | 13.9% |
| 1999 | 22,539 | 14.2% |
| 2000 | 37,226 | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 65,316 | 14.8% |
| 2002 | 113,366 | 15.1% |
| 2003 | 131,151 | 15.6% |
| 2004 | 113,187 | 18.1% |
| 2005 | 166,392 | 17.0% |
| 2006 | 229,499 | 16.7% |
| 2007 | 296,959 | 14.0% |
| 2008 | 286,755 | 10.7% |
| 2009 | 296,110 | 10.0% |
| 2010 | 300,972 | 9.2% |
Methodology & source. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-01. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.