Used car guide

2021 Volkswagen ID4 Life: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Volkswagen ID4 Lifes, from 1,840 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,840MOT tests in 2025
90%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
15,900typical miles a year
3.5×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Volkswagen ID4 Lifes than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Shock absorbers3.5× usual
    Volkswagen ID4 Life
    5.9% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1%, against 0.3% of all 2021 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.

By area

The share of 2021 Volkswagen ID4 Life MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    21% 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.

  • Suspension
    8% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Lights and electrics
    3% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Seats and seatbelts
    2% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Brakes
    2% 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.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20224,807Tyres 29%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 Volkswagen ID4 Lifes registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score