2012 Bentley Continental — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Bentley Continental passed 93.3% of its 3,907 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 16.2% of the time, so this is 9.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — tyres (3.0%) and lighting & signalling (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are washers, malfunction indicator lamp and headlamp aim — washers alone was recorded 61 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2012 Continental fails 3.8% of the time in the 0-30k band and 2.0% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.8 points.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 12.3% of tests without failing them.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 3.0% | 119 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.4% | 95 |
| 3 | Visibility | 1.4% | 56 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 1.1% | 43 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.9% | 37 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.5% | 20 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washers | 61 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 38 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 31 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 31 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 26 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 20 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 12.3% | 482 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.1% | 199 |
| 3 | Suspension | 3.0% | 117 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 1.8% | 70 |
| 5 | Other defects | 1.6% | 64 |
| 6 | Visibility | 0.9% | 36 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 1,208 | 3.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,041 | 7.1% |
| 60-90k | 594 | 11.5% |
| 90-120k | 50 | 2.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 789 | 6.0% |
| 2022 | 797 | 7.5% |
| 2023 | 788 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 775 | 7.1% |
| 2025 | 758 | 6.1% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Continental
On a 2012 Continental, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 3.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (3.0% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (2.4% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (1.4% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2012 Bentley Continentals pass their MOT?
93.3% of the 3,907 2012 Bentley Continental MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Bentley Continental?
Tyres, recorded in 3.0% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.4%).
Does the 2012 Continental get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 3.8% in the 0-30k band to 2.0% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,907 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.