Used car guide

2016 Vauxhall Adam: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2016 Vauxhall Adams, from 9,459 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

9,459MOT tests in 2025

65%pass first time (all 2016 cars: 75%)

5,800typical miles a year

5.8×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2016 Vauxhall Adams than on all cars registered in 2016.

Shock absorbers5.8× usual

Vauxhall Adam
25% All 2016 cars
4.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 8.6%, against 0.9% of all 2016 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.
Track rod ends7.1× usual

Vauxhall Adam
22.1% All 2016 cars
3.1%

Failed outright at MOT: 10.9%, against 1.5% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.
Front strut mounts and bushes13.3× usual

Vauxhall Adam
4% All 2016 cars
0.3%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0% of all 2016 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.
Sub-frame4.6× usual

Vauxhall Adam
4.1% All 2016 cars
0.9%

Failed outright at MOT: 0.9%, against 0% of all 2016 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.
Coil springs1.7× usual

Vauxhall Adam
7.1% All 2016 cars
4.1%

Failed outright at MOT: 5.1%, against 2.5% of all 2016 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

Rough price £175–£400 (pair, one axle) ClickMechanic

At the viewing: Look behind each wheel for a snapped spring coil, and listen for a clunk or twang when turning the wheel lock to lock with the car stopped.

Better than most

Suspension arm bushes and joints: 1.1% here, against 6.1% of all 2016 cars.

By area

The share of 2016 Vauxhall Adam MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

Suspension

47% 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

34% 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

18% 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

12% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

3% of testsRough price £100–£1,200

At the viewing: Look for black soot in the tailpipe, listen for blowing from the exhaust and check for engine or DPF warning lights.

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%
2015	10,817	Suspension 49%
2014	13,219	Suspension 51%
2013	7,488	Suspension 48%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2016 Vauxhall Adams registered in 2016. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score