2012 Fiat Bravo — MOT failures & pass rate
1,762 MOT tests on the 2012 Fiat Bravo are in this dataset, and 73.6% of them passed. Against small family cars of a similar age (21.1% fail rate), the 2012 Bravo comes out 5.4pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 14.4% of all tests — 5.3 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, track rod end and pins and bushes — coil spring alone was recorded 156 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 27.9% once past 150k — 2.1× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 32.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 23.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 14.4% | 254 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 9.1% | 160 |
| 3 | Brakes | 7.5% | 132 |
| 4 | Tyres | 6.0% | 105 |
| 5 | Steering | 4.4% | 77 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 65 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coil spring | 156 |
| 2 | Track rod end | 70 |
| 3 | Pins and bushes | 69 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 62 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 59 |
| 6 | Brake pads | 52 |
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 | 32.5% | 573 |
| 2 | Brakes | 30.2% | 532 |
| 3 | Suspension | 27.1% | 477 |
| 4 | Other defects | 17.3% | 305 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 7.7% | 136 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 7.3% | 129 |
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 | 30 | 13.3% |
| 30-60k | 336 | 19.1% |
| 60-90k | 624 | 26.1% |
| 90-120k | 542 | 31.7% |
| 120-150k | 181 | 27.1% |
| 150k+ | 43 | 27.9% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 1,339 | 26.4% |
| Petrol | 423 | 26.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 390 | 23.8% |
| 2022 | 376 | 25.5% |
| 2023 | 359 | 26.7% |
| 2024 | 336 | 27.4% |
| 2025 | 301 | 29.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Bravo
On a 2012 Bravo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 14.4% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (14.4% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Lighting & signalling (9.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (7.5% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
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 Fiat Bravos pass their MOT?
73.6% of the 1,762 2012 Fiat Bravo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Fiat Bravo?
Suspension, recorded in 14.4% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (9.1%).
Does the 2012 Bravo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.3% in the 0-30k band to 27.9% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 1,762 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.