Used car guide

2013 Vauxhall Adam: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2013 Vauxhall Adams, from 7,488 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

7,488MOT tests in 2025

63%pass first time (all 2013 cars: 66%)

5,900typical miles a year

4.3×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2013 Vauxhall Adams than on all cars registered in 2013.

Shock absorbers4.3× usual

Vauxhall Adam
26% All 2013 cars
6%

Failed outright at MOT: 6.1%, against 1.3% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.
Sub-frame3.3× usual

Vauxhall Adam
12.3% All 2013 cars
3.7%

Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 0.2% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.
Engine oil leaks1.9× usual

Vauxhall Adam
11% All 2013 cars
5.8%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.1%, against 0.1% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.
Front strut mounts and bushes7× usual

Vauxhall Adam
4.2% All 2013 cars
0.6%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.1% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
Rear fog light4.6× usual

Vauxhall Adam
3.2% All 2013 cars
0.7%

Failed outright at MOT: 3%, against 0.6% of all 2013 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 2.8% here, against 8.7% of all 2013 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 0.4% here, against 4.7% of all 2013 cars.

By area

The share of 2013 Vauxhall Adam MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

48% of testsRough price £120–£400

At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.
Tyres

32% of testsRough price £70–£150

At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.
Brakes

20% of testsRough price £150–£350

At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.
Lights and electrics

16% of testsRough price £10–£80

At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.
Oil and fluid leaks

12% of testsRough price £80–£600

At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.
Wipers, windscreen and mirrors

7% of testsRough price £15–£250

At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a Vauxhall Adam?

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Other years

Year	MOT tests	Most flagged
2019	4,836	Tyres 30%
2018	5,470	Suspension 36%
2017	7,541	Suspension 43%
2016	9,459	Suspension 47%
2015	10,817	Suspension 49%
2014	13,219	Suspension 51%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2013 Vauxhall Adams registered in 2013. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score