Volvo XC90 - 2003
435.6 faults per 100 tests
Year average for all cars of 2003 is 380.4 faults per 100 tests
Dataset: MOT tests in Great Britain (period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-10) for Volvo XC90, model year 2003.
Sample size: 698 cars, 1,536 tests and 6,691 recorded faults.
0%
More faults compared to the average car of same model year
More faults compared to the average car of same model year
Quick summary
Total: 698 cars
The 2003 Volvo XC90 has a higher overall defect rate than the average car of the same year, with 436 defects per 100 vehicles compared to the average of 378. Notably, the XC90 exhibits significantly more issues in the "Lights & Electrics" and "Wheels, Suspensions & Axles" categories, with defect rates of 146 and 399 per 100 respectively, which are both considerably worse than the averages. Conversely, it performs better in terms of visibility-related defects, showing a lower rate than the yearly average. Mileage trends indicate that defect rates increase with higher mileage, particularly evident in the 62,000–93,000 mile range, where the XC90's defects rise to 602 per 100 vehicles.
Cars by mileage segment
Total: 698 cars
More model years for Volvo XC90
Other models from Volvo
Categories
Brakes
▲ 1.4% better
166.9 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 169.3 / 100 tests
- Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- Brake lining or pad: worn below 1.5mm
- Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
- Parking brake efficiency: below minimum requirement
Steering
▼ 14.3% worse
28.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 25.2 / 100 tests
- A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
- Free play in the steering, measured at the rim of the steering wheel is: excessive
- 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: damaged or deteriorated
Visibility
▲ 30.9% better
20.6 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 29.8 / 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
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
- Wiper blade: defective
- Obligatory mirror or device: slightly damaged or loose
Lights & Electrics
▼ 42.2% worse
146.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 102.8 / 100 tests
- A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has 2 or more lamps or light sources
- Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow
- Headlamp reflector or lens: slightly defective
- Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
- Beam image obviously incorrect
Wheels & Suspension
▼ 32.1% worse
399.2 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 302.1 / 100 tests
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
- A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
- A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
- A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
Body/Structure
▲ 18.6% better
53.1 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 65.2 / 100 tests
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: severely deteriorated
- A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot: missing, split, insecure or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt
- Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
- Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that: the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced
- Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
Equipment
▲ 8.1% better
12.5 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 13.6 / 100 tests
- A seat belt: webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened
- ESC MIL indicates a system malfunction
- An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
- A seat belt:
- Seat belt not functioning as intended or of an incorrect type
Other
▲ 16.9% better
43.8 faults / 100 tests
Year avg: 52.7 / 100 tests
- Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
- Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction
- Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
- Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
- Emissions test unable to be completed
Fault rate by mileage segment
Model
Year average
* Metric: faults per 100 tests.
Most common faults (Top 10)
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 917
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 484
A spring: or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 390
A suspension component: excessively damaged or corroded
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 370
Brake disc or drum: insecure, fractured or otherwise likely to fail
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 328
Fluid: leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 302
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 175
Headlamp reflector or lens: slightly defective
MINOR
Occurrences: 175
Flexible brake hose: excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 167
Exhaust system has a major leak or is insecure
ADVISORY
Occurrences: 165
Serious faults (Top 10)
A suspension pin, bush, joint or bearing: excessively worn
FAIL
Occurrences: 175
Lamp: missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than a half not functioning
FAIL
Occurrences: 118
Beam image obviously incorrect
FAIL
Occurrences: 102
Parking brake efficiency: below minimum requirement
FAIL
Occurrences: 99
Parking brake efficiency: less than 50% of the required value
FAIL
Occurrences: 70
A suspension joint dust cover: missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc.
FAIL
Occurrences: 56
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative: when rear registration plate has only one lamp or all lamps not working
FAIL
Occurrences: 49
A steering ball joint: with excessive wear or free play
FAIL
Occurrences: 40
Parking brake inoperative on one side, or in the case of testing on the road, the vehicle deviates excessively from a straight line
FAIL
Occurrences: 37
Warning device shows system malfunction
FAIL
Occurrences: 34