2012 Fiat Scudo — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Fiat Scudo passed 72.1% of its 3,443 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.3 percentage points worse than vans of a similar age, which fail at 25.5%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, body, structure & corrosion and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
Lighting & signalling dominates the failure mix at 21.0% of all tests — 6.8 points clear of body, structure & corrosion, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are joints, position lamp and ball joint — joints alone was recorded 412 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 32.0% versus 10.9%.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: brakes was flagged on 24.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 25.2% of tests failed in 2021 against 27.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 21.0% | 722 |
| 2 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.1% | 487 |
| 3 | Suspension | 11.1% | 383 |
| 4 | Brakes | 7.8% | 270 |
| 5 | Visibility | 7.3% | 252 |
| 6 | Tyres | 5.1% | 177 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 412 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 347 |
| 3 | Ball joint | 250 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 214 |
| 5 | Stop lamp | 209 |
| 6 | Wipers | 151 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 24.1% | 831 |
| 2 | Tyres | 22.1% | 761 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 18.5% | 637 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 17.6% | 606 |
| 5 | Suspension | 17.1% | 588 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 14.5% | 500 |
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 | 46 | 10.9% |
| 30-60k | 237 | 18.1% |
| 60-90k | 684 | 26.2% |
| 90-120k | 849 | 26.5% |
| 120-150k | 780 | 30.3% |
| 150k+ | 843 | 32.0% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 727 | 25.2% |
| 2022 | 743 | 28.7% |
| 2023 | 701 | 27.5% |
| 2024 | 685 | 30.4% |
| 2025 | 587 | 27.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Scudo
On a 2012 Scudo, lighting & signalling is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 21.0% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Lighting & signalling (21.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (14.1% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
- Suspension (11.1% 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.
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 Scudos pass their MOT?
72.1% of the 3,443 2012 Fiat Scudo MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.9% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Fiat Scudo?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 21.0% of tests, followed by body, structure & corrosion (14.1%).
Does the 2012 Scudo get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 10.9% in the 0-30k band to 32.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 3,443 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.