2022 Volkswagen Passat SEL TDI 2.0L Diesel · DF71 GGU

The January 2026 test at 40,249 miles returned a pass, yet the record shows a clear deterioration from the clean 2025 certificate. The tester flagged the offside rear brake pads as wearing thin, specifically noting them as "very thin" under regulation 1.1.13 (a) (ii), an advisory that did not exist twelve months prior. Mileage accumulation sits at roughly 9,000 miles over the twelve months between the January 2025 test at 31,232 miles and the most recent inspection. This rate aligns with the vehicle’s four-year average of 10,000 miles annually and suggests regular use rather than periods of storage. Only two MOT records exist for the car, both passes, so the historical dataset remains limited but consistent. The offside rear pad advisory at 40,000 miles demands immediate physical verification. Rear calipers on this platform are prone to seizure, often causing uneven or accelerated pad wear on one side; the "very thin" description implies the friction material is approaching the 1.5mm legal limit. A buyer must measure pad depth across both rear corners, inspect the discs for lip formation or heat scoring, and confirm the caliper slider pins and piston operate freely. The absence of suspension, corrosion, or tyre advisories across both tests indicates the chassis and running gear are holding up well. No structural rust or emissions failures appear in the history, and the first test at three years old recorded zero defects. The single emerging fault points to a specific maintenance item rather than systemic neglect. Provided the rear brakes are addressed promptly — ideally replacing pads and inspecting the caliper mechanism — the Passat presents as a sound, average-mileage example with no hidden structural concerns.