2012 Fiat Doblo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Fiat Doblo passed 73.3% of its 15,430 recorded MOT tests. Against vans of a similar age (25.5% fail rate), the 2012 Doblo comes out 1.2pp worse. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (16.8%) and lighting & signalling (14.0%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are coil spring, headlamp aim and tread depth — coil spring alone was recorded 1,364 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 29.7% versus 20.0%.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.8pp more often than petrol ones (27.2% vs 23.4%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 28.5% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.3% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.2% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 16.8% | 2,591 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 2,153 |
| 3 | Tyres | 6.7% | 1,033 |
| 4 | Brakes | 5.4% | 837 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 5.1% | 787 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.1% | 632 |
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 | 1,364 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 696 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 658 |
| 4 | Pins and bushes | 617 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 614 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 527 |
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 | 28.5% | 4,405 |
| 2 | Suspension | 26.5% | 4,082 |
| 3 | Brakes | 16.2% | 2,494 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 2,161 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.1% | 1,873 |
| 6 | Visibility | 8.3% | 1,283 |
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 | 807 | 20.0% |
| 30-60k | 2,388 | 22.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,813 | 26.6% |
| 90-120k | 4,310 | 28.1% |
| 120-150k | 2,537 | 28.1% |
| 150k+ | 1,524 | 29.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 13,413 | 27.2% |
| Petrol | 2,015 | 23.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,486 | 25.3% |
| 2022 | 3,395 | 26.8% |
| 2023 | 3,179 | 27.3% |
| 2024 | 2,851 | 27.2% |
| 2025 | 2,519 | 27.2% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Doblo
On a 2012 Doblo, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 16.8% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (16.8% 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 (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (6.7% 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.
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 Doblos pass their MOT?
73.3% of the 15,430 2012 Fiat Doblo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 26.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Fiat Doblo?
Suspension, recorded in 16.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (14.0%).
Does the 2012 Doblo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 20.0% in the 0-30k band to 29.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 15,430 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.