2012 Fiat Panda — MOT failures & pass rate
40,372 MOT tests on the 2012 Fiat Panda are in this dataset, and 78.6% of them passed. City cars of a similar age fail at 20.9%, so the 2012 Panda sits squarely on the average. Failures cluster in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
Suspension dominates the failure mix at 12.3% of all tests — 4.1 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are shock absorbers, pins and bushes and tread depth — shock absorbers alone was recorded 3,172 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 13.1% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.6% once past 150k — 2.5× the risk.
Split by fuel, diesel examples fail 3.6pp more often than petrol ones (25.0% vs 21.3%) — worth weighing if you have a choice.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: suspension was flagged on 31.0% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 19.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 23.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 12.3% | 4,958 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 8.2% | 3,319 |
| 3 | Tyres | 5.1% | 2,064 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.2% | 1,702 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.9% | 1,564 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.0% | 1,211 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shock absorbers | 3,172 |
| 2 | Pins and bushes | 1,632 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 1,525 |
| 4 | Coil spring | 1,317 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 1,207 |
| 6 | Wipers | 1,071 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 31.0% | 12,505 |
| 2 | Tyres | 27.0% | 10,904 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.9% | 7,628 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 9.3% | 3,758 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.8% | 3,130 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.4% | 3,004 |
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 | 5,223 | 13.1% |
| 30-60k | 17,530 | 19.6% |
| 60-90k | 12,401 | 25.1% |
| 90-120k | 4,095 | 26.7% |
| 120-150k | 870 | 29.1% |
| 150k+ | 236 | 32.6% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 39,535 | 21.3% |
| Diesel | 837 | 25.0% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,159 | 19.4% |
| 2022 | 8,119 | 20.1% |
| 2023 | 8,190 | 21.8% |
| 2024 | 8,039 | 22.7% |
| 2025 | 7,865 | 23.3% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Panda
On a 2012 Panda, suspension is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 12.3% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Suspension (12.3% 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 (8.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.1% 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 Pandas pass their MOT?
78.6% of the 40,372 2012 Fiat Panda MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 21.4% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Fiat Panda?
Suspension, recorded in 12.3% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (8.2%).
Does the 2012 Panda get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 13.1% in the 0-30k band to 32.6% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 40,372 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.