Skip to main content

Volkswagen CALIFORNIA - 2017

106.6 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2017 is 137.4 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Volkswagen CALIFORNIA, model year 2017. Sample size: 1,380 cars, 2,918 tests and 3,110 recorded faults.
0%
Less faults compared to the average car of same model year

Quick summary

Total: 1,380 cars

The 2017 Volkswagen California has a lower overall defect rate than the average car of the same year, with 107 defects per 100 vehicles compared to 134. This model performs particularly well in categories such as Steering, where it has a defect rate of just 0.5%, significantly better than the average of 5.2%. Additionally, it shows fewer issues in Lights & Electrics and Body/Structure, both well below average. However, it has a higher than average defect rate for Equipment at 3.7%. Overall, mileage trends indicate that defect rates increase as mileage rises, but the California remains competitive across the lower mileage segments.

Cars by mileage segment

Total: 1,380 cars

More model years for Volkswagen CALIFORNIA

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Other models from Volkswagen

Volkswagen AMAROK Volkswagen ARTEON Volkswagen BEETLE Volkswagen BORA Volkswagen CADDY Volkswagen CALIFORNIA Volkswagen CAMPER Volkswagen CARAVELLE Volkswagen CC Volkswagen CORRADO Volkswagen CRAFTER Volkswagen E-GOLF Volkswagen E-UP Volkswagen EOS Volkswagen FOX Volkswagen GOLF Volkswagen GRAND CALIFORNIA Volkswagen HIGH UP Volkswagen ID3 Volkswagen ID4 Volkswagen ID5 Volkswagen JETTA Volkswagen LT Volkswagen LUPO Volkswagen MOTOR CARAVAN Volkswagen MOVE UP Volkswagen PASSAT Volkswagen POLO Volkswagen SCIROCCO Volkswagen SHARAN Volkswagen T-CROSS Volkswagen T-ROC Volkswagen TAIGO Volkswagen TIGUAN Volkswagen TOUAREG Volkswagen TOURAN Volkswagen TRANSPORTER Volkswagen UP

Categories

Brakes
▲ 9.5% better
65.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 72.5 / 100 tests
  • Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
  • Brake disc or drum: significantly and obviously worn
  • Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
  • Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
  • Warning device shows system malfunction
Steering
▲ 91.1% better
0.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 5.6 / 100 tests
  • Power steering fluid leaking or system malfunctioning
  • A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
  • Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
  • Power steering fluid: level below minimum mark
  • Power steering fluid: level below minimum mark
Visibility
▲ 17.9% better
11.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 14.5 / 100 tests
  • Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
  • Wiper blade: defective
  • Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
Lights & Electrics
▲ 61.8% better
7.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 20.4 / 100 tests
  • The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
  • Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
  • A 13-pin trailer socket: not functioning correctly
  • Reflector defective or damaged: by up to 50% of the reflecting surface
  • A direction indicator: lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
Wheels & Suspension
▲ 19.1% better
115.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 143.1 / 100 tests
  • Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
  • A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
  • A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
Body/Structure
▲ 32.9% better
4.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 7.0 / 100 tests
  • A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
  • Exhaust fumes: entering cabin
  • Exhaust fumes: causing a danger to health of persons on board
Equipment
▼ 37.0% worse
3.7 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 2.7 / 100 tests
  • A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
  • Seat belt not functioning as intended or of an incorrect type
  • ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction
  • Seat belt buckle missing, damaged or not functioning as intended
  • An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
Other
▲ 64.4% better
3.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 9.0 / 100 tests
  • Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
  • Emission control equipment fitted by the manufacturer missing, obviously modified or obviously defective
  • Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
  • Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
  • Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction

Fault rate by mileage segment

Model    Year average
0 318 0–31,000 mi 31,000–62,000 62,000–93,000 93,000–124,000 124,000+
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.

Most common faults (Top 10)

Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 647
Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 353
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 348
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 307
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 227
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 102
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured: but not adversely affecting driver’s view
MINOR
Occurrences: 91
Brake disc or drum: significantly and obviously worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 77
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 55
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
PRS
Occurrences: 55

Serious faults (Top 10)

A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
FAIL
Occurrences: 102
A tyre: with a lump, bulge or tear … or with cords exposed or damaged
FAIL
Occurrences: 55
A tyre: with a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords
FAIL
Occurrences: 52
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 44
Warning device shows system malfunction
FAIL
Occurrences: 44
Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
FAIL
Occurrences: 33
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously not working
FAIL
Occurrences: 22
ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction
FAIL
Occurrences: 22
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
FAIL
Occurrences: 20
Wiper blade: missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen
FAIL
Occurrences: 14