Used car guide · 2011–2020

Volkswagen Amarok common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Volkswagen Amarok, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 61,659 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

61,659MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
2013best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2020201920182017201620152014201320122011

What usually goes wrong with a Volkswagen Amarok?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Volkswagen Amarok in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Volkswagen Amarok MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, in more than one year. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

  • Anti-roll bar bushes and joints

    up to 38× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

    Rough price £100–£280 (pair of drop links) Checkatrade

    At the viewing: Drive slowly over bumps and listen for a knock or rattle from the front. Worn anti-roll bar links are a cheap fix.

  • Shock absorbers

    up to 2.9× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    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.

  • Windscreen

    up to 2.5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    Rough price £60–£300 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check for chips or cracks in the driver's view.

  • Braking performance

    up to 2.4× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019.

    Rough price £100–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a quiet road, brake firmly from about 30mph. The car should stop straight without pulling.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 7× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

    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.

  • Steering rack

    up to 27× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2012, 2015 and 2017.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Volkswagen Amarok MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2013 Volkswagen Amarok did best (70% passed first time, 3 points above all 2013 cars) and the 2018 did worst (81%, 2 points below all 2018 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
202086%87% -15,012
201984%85% -19,357
201881%83% -27,924
201778%80% -26,527
201676%77% -17,294
201573%74% -18,181
201471%70% +16,654
201370%67% +35,376
201266%64% +23,652
201162%62% +01,682

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Volkswagen Amarok

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the anti-roll bar bushes and joints? (Flagged at MOT 38× as often on the Volkswagen Amarok as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the shock absorbers? (Flagged at MOT 2.9× as often on the Volkswagen Amarok as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the windscreen? (Flagged at MOT 2.5× as often on the Volkswagen Amarok as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Volkswagen Amarok?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score