Used car guide

2023 Volvo C40: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2023 Volvo C40s, from 137 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

Small sample: only 137 of these were MOT tested in 2025, so treat the percentages as rough. The known faults below don't depend on it.

137MOT tests in 2025
93%pass first time (all 2023 cars: 92%)
9,900typical miles a year
2.2×the usual rate for tread depth

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2023 Volvo C40s than on all cars registered in 2023.

  • Tread depth2.2× usual
    Volvo C40
    21.9% All 2023 cars
    9.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.9% of all 2023 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

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

By area

The share of 2023 Volvo C40 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    31% 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.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    4% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • 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.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    1% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,844Tyres 30%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2023 Volvo C40s registered in 2023. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score