VW Polo common problems: the MOT record, young and old

01

What does a VW Polo usually fail on?

A failed test can record several failure items, faults the test centre corrected during the test included. Grouped by type, the Polo's twelve most frequent were (shares of all its failure items):

• Lamps: headlamp aim, 6.9%, the top item; a position lamp out, 3.5%; a headlamp dark, or an LED headlamp with over half its light sources out, 2.7%.
• Suspension wear: pins, bushes or joints worn past the limit, 5.2%; a coil spring snapped or badly weakened, 3.1%; a damper that has stopped working or leaks heavily, 2.5%.
• Covers over joints: on the track rod ends, 4.0%; on the drive shaft constant velocity joints, 2.9%; on the anti-roll bar link joints, 2.8%.
• Tyres: too little tread, 3.7%; a tyre seriously damaged, 3.0%.
• Washers: not working, or too little fluid for the wipers to clear the glass, 3.5%.

Three lamps and three rubber covers: half the list is made up of those two kinds of fault. The covers are small parts, but each one can fail the car on its own; they are explained below.

02

Young Polo, old Polo: how do the fail rates change?

Sharply, at around six years. Polos aged 3 to 5 failed first time at 10.5%, better than the 12.8% for all cars and light vans of that age. One band on, the position was reversed: in the 6 to 8 group the Polo's rate jumped to 22.8%, with cars in general on 18.1%.

From there the Polo stayed behind. It was close to the average at 9 to 11 years (27.4% against 26.6%), further back at 12 to 14 (38.2% against 34.9%) and furthest back at 15 and over, where 47.4% failed against 41.2%. Cars first registered in 2016 were the most common, followed by 2015 and 2014.

Every Polo MOT in the month counts once, at its first attempt, with retests ignored; a Polo whose faults had to be fixed at the test centre before it passed counts as a fail. Our guide to the most common MOT failures applies this method to 14 models, the Polo among them.

03

Does a Polo's low mileage protect it at the MOT?

Not on this evidence. Polos cover fewer miles than most cars at every age: 30,018 on average at 3 to 5 years (all cars and light vans: 38,187), 45,357 at 6 to 8 (55,582), 64,177 at 9 to 11 (76,786), 80,165 at 12 to 14 (93,592) and 93,640 at 15 and over (108,155).

Even so, every band from six years up shows the Polo failing more often than the average. Treat a low odometer reading as neutral, then: the car's test record says more about its condition. Do check that the readings climb steadily from test to test; the mileage history check page shows the signs to watch for.

Nearly all the Polos tested ran on petrol (92.7%); the rest, 7.3%, were diesels.

04

Which joint covers fail on a Polo, and when?

Several joints under a car sit inside flexible rubber covers that keep out grit and water. Three of them appear in the Polo's top twelve, and the manual treats them in much the same way:

Minor defects pass, but they are printed on the result, so the next buyer can see them, and today's deteriorated cover can be next year's fail. A split cover lets dirt into the joint it protects, so ask whether any cover noted in the history has been replaced.

05

Is steering a Polo weak point?

Somewhat. Steering makes up 5.5% of the Polo's failure items, where the national share is 3.7%, and the covers on the track rod ends explain most of the difference.

Among the DVSA's standard advisories is one worth watching for on a Polo: "play in steering rack inner joint(s)". It passes, but excessive wear or free play in a steering ball joint is a major defect, so if a Polo's history carries that note, have the steering joints checked before you buy.

06

How do lamps, washers, brakes and the exhaust fare on a Polo?

Lighting is the area where Polos fail most, 23.9% of their failure items, about the same as the national 24.9%. Headlamp aim makes up 6.9% by itself, position lamps 3.5% and headlamps that do not light 2.7%. A position lamp fails when it is missing or dead, or when over half the light sources in a multi-source lamp have gone out.

Aim is measured with equipment placed in front of the car and aligned to it. A European-type lamp casts a dipped beam with a flat cut-off along the top, and that cut-off must sit between two lines just under the horizontal; set too high, it can dazzle other drivers, which the Highway Code says lights must not do. The tester may adjust the aim a little during the test, though repairs are not allowed, and an aim fault corrected that way still counts here.

Washers came fifth on the list at 3.5%. The manual expects them to supply enough fluid for the wipers to clear the windscreen, so washers that are dead or barely squirt are a major defect.

In the brakes, Polos fail on a slightly bigger share than average, 16.0% against 14.8%, spread across several items, none of which reached the top twelve. Leaks, emissions and noise account for 7.8% (5.9% nationally). Two advisories belong here: a small oil leak (3.4% of advisories) and an exhaust blowing slightly (3.3%); get both traced while they are small. An oil leak fails once it leaves a pool more than 75mm across within five minutes.

07

Which advisories should a Polo buyer read closely?

Oddly, tyres account for fewer of the Polo's fails than usual (9.7% of failure items, against 12.6%) but head its advisories. The most frequent entries, each as a share of all Polo advisories:

Read them across several tests. An advisory carried from year to year without a repair is a cost waiting for you, and one that has disappeared after an invoice is a good sign. Our guide to MOT advisories sets out what each grade means, from advisory to dangerous.

08

Checks for a used VW Polo

1. Before the viewing, use the free look-up at the foot of this page to bring up the car's MOT history, and list every advisory and fail from the last few years.
2. Highlight every mention of bushes, track rod ends, anti-roll bar links, CV boots or play in the inner steering joints.
3. Drive it and concentrate on the steering. If it knocks, wanders or feels slack, get a mechanic to look at the joints.
4. Check all four tyres, inner edges included, for tread depth and for cracks or cuts in the sidewalls.
5. Switch on every lamp and walk round, make sure the washer jets wet the screen, and test the handbrake on a hill.
6. Run down the mileage column of the history. Small yearly totals are typical of Polos; a reading lower than the one before is not.

Our used car checklist handles the paperwork and bodywork side of the viewing.

Take the test drive checklist with you for the drive.

09

Should you choose a used VW Polo?

A young one compares well. From six years old, though, Polos failed more often than the average car of their age while covering fewer miles, and the items at the top of their list are lamps, washers and wear in joints, covers and tyres. That kind of wear tends to show in the MOT history as an advisory before it becomes a fail, which gives a careful buyer a head start.

GOV.UK notes that the MOT does not cover the condition of the engine, clutch or gearbox, so read the service record and drive the car before you decide. For an older one, set money aside for the steering and suspension joints unless there are bills showing the work, and walk away from a Polo whose advisories keep repeating with nothing done.

Recalls need a separate check. To see whether one is open, use the free look-up, which carries the DVSA's recall status, or GOV.UK's recall service, which takes the registration; the manufacturer carries out the repair, and GOV.UK says you will not usually be charged. Money still owed, an insurance write-off and a theft report are held elsewhere, never in the MOT record: a full car check by registration searches them in the Premium report, £7.99.