2012 Ford Fusion — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 4,766 MOT tests, the 2012 Ford Fusion recorded an 84.9% pass rate. That is 7.5 percentage points better than superminis of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, brakes and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.3% of tests against 5.4% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are stop lamp, individual direction indicators and wipers — stop lamp alone was recorded 233 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.3% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 33.3% once past 150k — 4.0× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 22.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 13.3% | 635 |
| 2 | Brakes | 5.4% | 258 |
| 3 | Suspension | 4.1% | 196 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.0% | 191 |
| 5 | Tyres | 3.0% | 145 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.5% | 72 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stop lamp | 233 |
| 2 | Individual direction indicators | 206 |
| 3 | Wipers | 185 |
| 4 | Rigid brake pipes | 183 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 153 |
| 6 | Rear fog lamp | 145 |
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 | 22.3% | 1,064 |
| 2 | Brakes | 19.4% | 924 |
| 3 | Suspension | 10.8% | 514 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 483 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.6% | 409 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 4.4% | 208 |
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 | 666 | 8.3% |
| 30-60k | 2,147 | 13.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,413 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 398 | 20.6% |
| 120-150k | 99 | 25.3% |
| 150k+ | 39 | 33.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 977 | 13.6% |
| 2022 | 928 | 12.3% |
| 2023 | 972 | 15.0% |
| 2024 | 964 | 16.9% |
| 2025 | 925 | 17.6% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Fusion
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 13.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (13.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (5.4% 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.
- Suspension (4.1% 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 Ford Fusions pass their MOT?
84.9% of the 4,766 2012 Ford Fusion MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.1% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Ford Fusion?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 13.3% of tests, followed by brakes (5.4%).
Does the 2012 Fusion get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.3% in the 0-30k band to 33.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,766 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.