Volkswagen Crafter Car CheckFull history check, MOT history and common problems

Free Volkswagen Crafter vehicle check by reg: MOT history, mileage and tax. Buying one? The full car history check shows outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, stolen markers, keepers and plate changes.

  • 73% MOT pass rate
  • 1,787 Crafters checked
  • 14.9% of Volkswagens had outstanding finance

Volkswagen Crafter reg check

Example: AB12 CDE (Free instant lookup)

Free MOT, mileage and tax check by reg or VIN. Full car history check from £3.99.

Full Volkswagen Crafter history check from £3.99

The MOT record is free, and it only shows the car's condition on test day. What a seller may not mention is in the full Volkswagen Crafter car check:

Of the 484 Volkswagen vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.9% had outstanding finance recorded, 13.0% an insurance write-off record and 35.1% a number plate change.

  • Outstanding finance: lender and agreement
  • Insurance write-off: Cat S, N, C or D
  • Police stolen marker
  • High risk register
  • Previous keepers and last change
  • Plate and colour changes
  • Scrapped, imported or exported
  • Mileage anomaly check
Check a Crafter by reg → See a sample full report Prices and bundles

£3.99 a report in the 5-report bundle, £11.99 for a single report; unused reports never expire. Shown on screen straight away and sent by email. No subscription. Start with the free check: you only pay for the full report.

Free Volkswagen Crafter MOT History and Mileage Data

What the MOT records of 1,442 Volkswagen Crafter vehicles show. The full check above covers what the MOT doesn't.

  • 73%of MOT tests passedUK average 77%
  • 12,800typical miles a year
  • 5.7%have a mileage anomalyan MOT reading lower than an earlier one
  • 12,068MOT tests analysed
  • 2013–2019built (middle half)
  • 99%diesel

Volkswagen Crafter common problems: most common MOT failures and advisories

The defects MOT testers record most often on the Volkswagen Crafter, as a share of all its MOT tests (the same defect on any wheel or side counts once): the Crafter's known weak points. Check these on the car you're viewing, or on your own before its next MOT.

Top 20 Volkswagen Crafter MOT failures

Reasons the car failed its MOT.

  1. Parking brake efficiency below requirements4.4%
  2. Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction3.3%
  3. Position lamp not working2.6%
  4. Headlamp not working on dipped beam2.4%
  5. Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively2.3%
  6. Track rod end ball joint has excessive play1.7%
  7. Stop lamp not working1.6%
  8. Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.5%
  9. Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value1.3%
  10. Fog lamp not working1.2%
Show all 20
  1. Brake pad less than 1.5 mm thick1.2%
  2. Headlamp aim too low1.2%
  3. Headlamp aim too high1.1%
  4. Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid1.1%
  5. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.0%
  6. Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords0.9%
  7. Service brake excessively binding0.9%
  8. Side repeater not working0.9%
  9. Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn0.9%
  10. Registration plate lamp not working0.9%

Top 20 Volkswagen Crafter MOT advisories

Wear the tester noted: not a failure yet, but money to budget for.

  1. Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge8.5%
  2. Oil leak, but not excessive6.8%
  3. Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened6.2%
  4. Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view5.8%
  5. Play in steering rack inner joint5.8%
  6. Brake pad wearing thin4.9%
  7. Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material4.5%
  8. Suspension arm ball joint has slight play3.9%
  9. Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources3.1%
  10. Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread2.7%
Show all 20
  1. Track rod end ball joint has slight play2.7%
  2. Tyre worn close to the legal limit2.4%
  3. Nail in tyre1.6%
  4. Service brake binding but not excessively1.6%
  5. Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing1.5%
  6. Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement1.4%
  7. Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A'1.2%
  8. Side repeater lens defective which has no effect on emitted light1.2%
  9. Brake disc worn, but not excessively1.2%
  10. Obligatory mirror slightly damaged1.1%
  • Lights and indicators: 54% of failed tests
  • Brakes: 39% of failed tests
  • Suspension: 24% of failed tests
  • Windscreen and wipers: 18% of failed tests
  • Tyres: 15% of failed tests
  • Brakes advisory: 27% of tests
  • Tyres advisory: 20% of tests
  • Suspension advisory: 20% of tests

Based on the DVSA MOT histories of all 1,442 Volkswagen Crafter vehicles with an MOT checked on CarCheckUp since April 2023 (12,068 tests, retests included). Updated 2 October 2026. Every MOT test and advisory for one car is in the free MOT history check, and our free mileage check flags a lower reading. Market-wide figures: UK Used Car Risk Report. How we calculate these figures. MOT and DVLA data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Volkswagen Crafter versions

Every Volkswagen Crafter version checked on CarCheckUp counts on this page, grouped by the word after "Crafter" in the DVLA record. Pass rates where at least 300 vehicles were checked.

VersionVehiclesMOT pass rateTop failure area
Crafter (no version recorded) 1,215 73% Lights and indicators
Crafter CR35
  • Crafter CR35 Startline TDI: 111
  • Crafter CR35 Trendline TDI: 109
  • and 6 more
 226 – –

Key history checks before buying a used Volkswagen Crafter

All of these are in every full report, with 150+ more data points.

Outstanding finance

A Volkswagen on hire purchase, PCP or a logbook loan may still belong to the lender. Buying it can lead to a dispute over who owns it. Outstanding finance check

Insurance write-off (Cat S, N, C, D)

Shows if an insurer declared the car a total loss. Cat S and N cars can return to the road, but the record lowers the value and can affect insurance. Write-off check

Police stolen marker

Checks the Police National Computer. A stolen car can be taken back, leaving you without the car or your money. Stolen car check

High risk register

Shows if a finance company, insurer or the police has registered an interest in the Crafter. Find out why before you buy.

Mileage anomaly check & MOT history

Free: every MOT mileage reading compared for drops, with advisories and failures. Free mileage check

Previous keepers & plate changes

How many keepers the car has had and when, plus number plate changes that can separate a car from its history. Previous owners check

More free and full vehicle checks for a Volkswagen Crafter

See a sample full report · Prices

Full Volkswagen Crafter car check from £3.99 a report

Finance, write-off, stolen, keepers, plate changes and 150+ data points on the Volkswagen Crafter you're looking at. The MOT history and mileage come free.

Check a Crafter by reg → See a sample report

Volkswagen Crafter MOT questions

How do I check a used Volkswagen Crafter for outstanding finance or a write-off?

Run a full car history check on its registration. Of the 484 Volkswagen Crafter vehicles checked with a full CarCheckUp report, 14.9% had outstanding finance recorded and 13.0% an insurance write-off record. The report also shows stolen markers, keepers, plate and colour changes.

Is a Volkswagen Crafter car check free?

The MOT history, mileage anomaly check, tax and DVLA details of any Volkswagen Crafter are free. The full car history check (finance, write-off, stolen, keepers and 150+ data points) is paid, from £3.99 a report.

What is the most common MOT failure on the Volkswagen Crafter?

Parking brake efficiency below requirements: found at 4.4% of the Volkswagen Crafter MOT tests we analysed. By area, lights and indicators items appear in 54% of failed tests.

What is the Volkswagen Crafter MOT pass rate?

73% of 12,068 MOT tests on 1,442 Volkswagen Crafter vehicles checked on CarCheckUp were passed (retests included). The UK average across all vehicles we checked is 77%.

What are the common problems with the Volkswagen Crafter?

Going by its MOT records, the Volkswagen Crafter's most common failures are parking brake efficiency below requirements (4.4% of tests); engine mil inoperative or indicates a malfunction (3.3% of tests); position lamp not working (2.6% of tests). The full list of the top 20 MOT failures and advisories is on this page.

What is the most common MOT advisory on the Volkswagen Crafter?

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge: noted at 8.5% of tests. An advisory is not a failure, but it is wear to budget for.

How many miles a year is a Volkswagen Crafter typically driven?

About 12,800 miles a year (the median, from MOT mileage readings). 5.7% have a mileage anomaly: an MOT reading lower than an earlier one.

More Volkswagen car checks and guides

Guides for buying a used Volkswagen Crafter