carpeep

Vauxhall Vectra, Buying guide, MOT record, UK numbers and recalls

16,640 Vauxhall Vectras are licensed in the UK. In 2025 they passed 55.6% of initial MOT tests, 16.7 points below the 72.3% UK average.

Looking at a specific Vectra? Check its finance, write-off, stolen, mileage and keeper history. £15, no account needed.

Vauxhall Vectra at the MOT

55.6% of 22,040 initial tests passed in 2025, ranking the Vectra 533rd of 575 models.

First-time pass rate, 2025

Share of initial tests passed, retests excluded.

  • Vauxhall Vectra55.6%
  • All Vauxhall modelsThe Vectra is 10.2 pts behind65.8%
  • All cars72.3%

Where Vectras fail

Share of all failure items recorded on Vauxhall Vectra tests in 2025.

  • Brakes22.9%
  • Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment22.7%
  • Suspension22%
  • Tyres8.1%
  • Noise, emissions and leaks7.6%

The items testers recorded most often were coil spring fractured or broken (5.9%), headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (5.2%) and pins and bushes pin or bush excessively worn (3.9%).

The MOT page lists every common Vectra MOT failure. For one car's own results and advisories, run a free MOT history check.

Full Vauxhall Vectra MOT record

What to look at on a viewing

The Vectra's most common failure areas, and what a tester checks in each.

  1. Brakes

    Make sure the pedal feels firm, the car stops in a straight line, the handbrake holds on a slope and no brake warning light is showing.22.9% of Vectra failure items

  2. Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

    Walk round with every light on: headlights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights and the number plate lamp. Check no warning lights stay on after starting.22.7% of Vectra failure items

  3. Suspension

    Listen for knocks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for leaking shock absorbers and split rubber gaiters.22% of Vectra failure items

Vauxhall Vectras in the UK

16,640 were licensed at the end of June 2026. The number licensed has fallen 94% since the end of 2014.

Change since 2014
−94%from 275,935 licensed
Typical year of first use
2007half of those licensed at the end of 2025 were first used in 2007 or earlier
Declared off the road
32,73666% of those registered, under SORN

Licensed Vauxhall Vectras since 2014

Licensed at each year end and in the latest quarter.

Show the figures
DateLicensed
End of 2014275,935
End of 2015234,344
End of 2016195,716
End of 2017157,449
End of 2018123,866
End of 201996,343
End of 202075,449
End of 202157,134
End of 202244,693
End of 202334,654
End of 202425,898
End of 202519,274
End of June 202616,640

How old they are

Licensed Vauxhall Vectras by year of first use.

A further 82 were first used before 1998.

Show the figures
First usedLicensed, end 2025
20091,078
20086,083
20075,175
20062,681
20051,191
2004770
2003404
2002365
2001393
2000238
1999157
1998111

Vectra engines and fuel

1.8 litre engines made up 54% of Vauxhall Vectra MOT tests in 2025, followed by 1.9 litre at 31%. Petrol accounts for 66% of licensed Vectras and diesel for 33%.

Engine size at MOT, 2025

Share of 22,027 initial MOT tests in 2025.

  • 1.8 litre53.6%
  • 1.9 litre31.5%
  • 2.2 litre6.4%
  • 2.0 litre2.5%
  • 2.8 litre2.5%

Fuel type, licensed Vectras

DfT licensing statistics, June 2026.

FuelLicensedShare
Petrol11,03766%
Diesel5,55733%
Gas460.3%

Vauxhall Vectra recalls

10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Vauxhall Vectra. The 8 most recent are below. Each covers vehicles built in a set period, so a recall does not mean every Vectra is affected.

  1. Oct 2026 R/2026/404

    Vauxhall cross carline Driver's Airbag - Takata

    Vectras built Jul 2003 to Oct 2008 · 323,375 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles the chemicals in the Takata airbags may deteriorate over time which may cause the inflator to rupture and lead to serious injury.
    Remedy
    Owners of affected vehicles should immediately cease using their vehicle when safe to do so until the recall action has been completed. Affected vehicles will have the airbag modules replaced.

  2. Dec 2025 R/2025/511

    Vauxhall cross carline Driver's Airbag - Takata

    Vectras built Jul 2003 to Oct 2008 · 949,336 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    On affected vehicles the chemicals in the Takata airbag inflators may deteriorate over time. This may cause the inflators to rupture with too much force in a crash leading to serious injury or death in a worst-case scenario.
    Remedy
    Replace the driver airbag module.

  3. Apr 2008 R/2008/014

    Handbrake may partially release

    Vectras built Jan 2002 to Dec 2007 · 236,284 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Following a small number of complaints of Vauxhall Vectra and Signum vehicles rolling away due to allegedly defective handbrakes. Vauxhall engineers in conjunction with consultants and other bodies have conducted rigorous testing and found that provided the handbrake is applied correctly without depressing the release button the handbrake is perfectly safe.
    Remedy
    In line with it's priority of continuous improvement recalled vehicles will be fitted with a modified handbrake mechanism to reduce the possibility of a partial release.

  4. Jun 2006 R/2006/088

    Heated washer nozzle may short circuit

    Vectras built Jan 2004 to Dec 2006 · 1,220 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It is possible that moisture may enter the heated washer nozzle housing and cause a short circuit of the heating elements. In the worse case a fire may ensue.
    Remedy
    Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected to disconnect the heated washer nozzle housings.

  5. May 2006 R/2006/050

    Rear seat centre belt might not restrain the seat occupant in a frontal impact

    Vectras built Jan 2006 to Mar 2006 · 1,172 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    It has been identified that during the manufacturing process the lock bar may not have been fitted to the belt retractor. In the worst case the restraint function of the rear seat centre belt might not operate correctly in the case of a frontal impact.
    Remedy
    Recalled vehicles will have the rear centre seat belt inspected and replaced if necessary.

  6. Dec 2005 R/2005/166

    Rear axle hub may not be to specification

    783 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The hardening process applied to the rear wheel bearing inner ring may be incorrect. There is a possibility that a rumbling noise may become apparent which if not checked could in extreme circumstances result in the detachment of the hub and severely impaired road holding/handling.
    Remedy
    Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and check the date stamp on the rear wheel hubs. Where necessary replace the hub bearing assembly.

  7. Nov 2004 R/2004/148

    Rear exhaust pipe may move backwards slipping off the front pipe

    Vectras built Apr 2004 · 10,470 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    The possibility exists that the rear exhaust pipe can move backwards and slip off the front pipe. With the possibility that under body components may become damaged.
    Remedy
    Recall affected vehicles check likely to be affected under body areas and install a new exhaust clamp.

  8. Apr 2004 R/2004/062

    Fixing bolts of the rear seat belt may not have been torqued according to specification

    Vectras built Apr 2004 · 136 vehicles across the whole recall

    Defect and remedy
    Defect
    Fixing bolts of the rear seat belt on the height adjuster C pillar and body sill may not have been torqued according to specification
    Remedy
    Recall likely to be affected vehicles check torque rear seat belts and tighten to specification.
How to check a specific Vectra for recalls

Other Vauxhall models

The most-tested Vauxhall models in 2025, against the Vectra's 55.6% MOT pass rate.

All 20 Vauxhall models

Vauxhall Vectra FAQs

How many Vauxhall Vectras are there in the UK?

16,640 Vauxhall Vectras were licensed in the UK at the end of June 2026, with a further 32,736 declared off the road (SORN), according to DfT vehicle licensing statistics.

Is the Vauxhall Vectra reliable?

MOT data does not measure reliability. It records whether a car met the roadworthiness standard on the day of its test. What it does show is a 55.6% first-time pass rate for the Vauxhall Vectra across 22,040 tests in 2025, below the 72.3% average for all cars.

Has the Vauxhall Vectra had any recalls?

10 DVSA safety recalls launched from 1992 to October 2026 name the Vauxhall Vectra. The most recent was published in October 2026. A recall applies to vehicles built in a set period, so check a specific car on the GOV.UK vehicle recall checker.

What should I check before buying a used Vauxhall Vectra?

On the car itself, start with the areas it most often fails on: brakes, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment and suspension. Then check the individual car's own records. Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and police stolen markers are not part of the MOT record, so they take a history check.

How do I check a Vauxhall Vectra's history?

Enter the registration of the specific car. A Carpeep car history check reports outstanding finance, write-off category, stolen markers, mileage history, previous keepers, MOT and tax status, import and export markers and scrapped status in one £15 report.

Already found a Vectra?

Check its finance, write-off, theft, mileage and keeper history with a £15 vehicle history report.

Across the 1,548 vehicles of every make Carpeep has checked since November 2025, 19% had outstanding finance recorded and 13% an insurance write-off. More on the Vauxhall history check. To confirm a car's identity, see the Vauxhall VIN check.

  • Outstanding finance
  • Write-off records
  • Stolen markers
  • Mileage history
  • Previous keepers

MOT figures are aggregated from the DVSA MOT Anonymised data set for 2025 (class 4 initial tests, retests excluded), which also gives the engine sizes. Licensed, SORN, fuel and registration figures are from the Department for Transport vehicle licensing statistics (VEH0120, VEH0124, VEH0160). Recalls are from the DVSA vehicle recalls data, with recalls launched up to October 2026. Government data is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. MOT results describe roadworthiness at test, not mechanical reliability. History-check findings are anonymous counts from reports bought on Carpeep, each vehicle counted once, and are published only where at least 100 vehicles returned an answer.