Vauxhall Vectra Reliability: Common Problems and Years to Avoid
What the Vauxhall Vectra fails its MOT on, with rough repair costs, and how each model year's MOT pass rate compares with other cars of the same age. Based on 59,678 MOT tests across 14 model years (DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024, retests included).
Segment: family car | Fuel: Diesel, Petrol
71%
Vauxhall Vectra pass rate
84%
Vauxhall average
82%
All-model average
The Vauxhall Vectra has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, which is 13 points below the Vauxhall average and 11 points below the average across all models in our data. The Vauxhall Vectra has maintained consistent MOT pass rates across model years, varying by only 3 percentage points.
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What the Vauxhall Vectra Fails Its MOT On
Of the 9,788 MOT tests on the Vauxhall Vectra that failed at the first attempt in 2025, the share that failed on each part of the test, next to the share for all cars and vans of the same ages. A test that failed on two areas counts in both.
Lights and electrics
43%Cars and vans the same age: 49% · Typical repair £15-£200
Suspension
43%Cars and vans the same age: 40% · Typical repair £150-£600
Brakes
39%Cars and vans the same age: 27% (the Vectra fails on this more often) · Typical repair £80-£450
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
19%Cars and vans the same age: 15% · Typical repair £80-£800
Tyres
18%Cars and vans the same age: 16% · Typical repair £50-£300
The 3 single faults it failed on most
- Coil spring: fractured or broken (17% of failed tests, suspension)
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect (12% of failed tests, lights and electrics)
- Parking brake efficiency below requirements (12% of failed tests, brakes)
Source: CarCostCheck analysis of DVSA anonymised MOT test results and failure items for 2025: first attempt at each MOT, fail and pass-after-repair defects, DVSA's defect categories (names shortened). Repair costs are rough UK ranges, not quotes. Method and national figures: MOT failure reasons 2025.
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Vauxhall Vectra Years to Avoid
Every car in the 2024 MOT data was tested at the same age as the other cars first registered that year, so each Vectra year is compared with all cars from the same year. Years with 1,000+ tests that were at least three years old are included.
Failed more often than cars their age
Passed more often than cars their age
No year passed 3 or more points more often than other cars of the same age.
A lower pass rate means that year failed its MOT more often in 2024; it does not mean every car from that year is bad. Old cars still on the road are often the best-kept ones, which can lift the pass rates of the oldest years. How a car has been looked after matters more, so check the MOT history of the car you are looking at.
Vauxhall Vectra Reliability by Year
MOT pass rate for each model year, from DVSA data for tests carried out in 2024 (retests included). Newer cars usually pass more often simply because they are younger. All Cars is the pass rate of every car first registered that year, with the gap in points. Highest and lowest are marked among years with 100+ tests that were at least three years old when tested. Fuel and engine size are a guide only.
| Year | Fuel | Engine | Pass Rate | Fail Rate | All Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Diesel | 1.9L | 71% | 28% | 75% (-4) |
| 2008 | Petrol | 1.9L | 70% | 29% | 74% (-4) |
| 2007 | Petrol | 1.9L | 71% | 28% | 73% (-2) |
| 2006 | Petrol | 1.9L | 72% | 27% | 73% (-1) |
| 2005 | Petrol | 1.9L | 69% | 30% | 73% (-4) |
| 2004 | Diesel | 2.0L | 68% | 30% | 72% (-4) |
| 2003 | Diesel | 2.2L | 70% | 28% | 72% (-2) |
| 2002 | Petrol | 1.6L | 74% | 26% | 73% (+1) |
| 2001 | Petrol | 1.6L | 73% | 26% | 73% (0) |
| 2000 | Petrol | 2.0L | 75% | 24% | - |
| 1999 | Petrol | 2.0L | 73% | 26% | - |
| 1998 | Petrol | 2.0L | 70% | 29% | - |
| 1997 | Petrol | 2.0L | 72% | 28% | - |
| 1996 | Petrol | 1.6L | 67% | 31% | - |
Vauxhall Vectra Running Costs
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Vauxhall Vectra FAQ
What are the most common Vauxhall Vectra problems?
In 2025, MOT tests on the Vauxhall Vectra that failed at the first attempt most often failed on lights and electrics (43% of the 9,788 failed tests), suspension (43%) and brakes (39%). The single most common fault was "Coil spring: fractured or broken" (17%). Across 59,678 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), 71% ended in a pass.
Is the Vauxhall Vectra reliable?
The Vauxhall Vectra has an average MOT pass rate of 71%, from 59,678 MOT tests (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included). Comparing each model year with all cars first registered the same year, so that age is allowed for, it passed 3 points less often on average, so check the history of any example carefully.
Which Vauxhall Vectra years should I avoid?
Compared with all cars first registered the same year (DVSA MOT data for tests in 2024, retests included), the 2008 (70% of 18,793 tests passed, against 74% for all 2008 cars), the 2005 (69% of 4,303 tests passed, against 73% for all 2005 cars) and the 2009 (71% of 3,408 tests passed, against 75% for all 2009 cars) failed their MOT most often for their age. A year's pass rate does not tell you about one car, so check the MOT history of the car you are buying.
How much does it cost to fix common Vauxhall Vectra faults?
As a rough guide, brake work on a Vauxhall Vectra typically costs £80-£450 and suspension repairs £150-£600, while exhaust and emissions fixes can cost £80-£800. Lighting and wiper fixes are usually under £200.
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Other Vauxhall Models
Common problems pages for other Vauxhall models