2012 Hyundai Santa-Fe — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Hyundai Santa-Fe passed 72.7% of its 20,839 recorded MOT tests. Large SUVs of a similar age fail 17.8% of the time, so this is 9.5pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, suspension and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.8% of tests against 11.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are joints, position lamp and stop lamp — joints alone was recorded 1,865 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 17.4% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 32.2% once past 150k.
Suspension is the most common advisory, noted on 28.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 26.1% of tests failed in 2021 against 29.0% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 17.8% | 3,714 |
| 2 | Suspension | 11.0% | 2,287 |
| 3 | Brakes | 9.4% | 1,960 |
| 4 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.5% | 1,764 |
| 5 | Tyres | 4.9% | 1,019 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.4% | 704 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 1,865 |
| 2 | Position lamp | 1,786 |
| 3 | Stop lamp | 1,258 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 1,157 |
| 5 | Side repeaters | 850 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 737 |
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 | 28.8% | 6,000 |
| 2 | Brakes | 28.2% | 5,873 |
| 3 | Tyres | 26.3% | 5,488 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 13.7% | 2,845 |
| 5 | Other defects | 11.9% | 2,479 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 8.3% | 1,729 |
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 | 132 | 17.4% |
| 30-60k | 2,173 | 21.1% |
| 60-90k | 6,861 | 26.3% |
| 90-120k | 7,145 | 28.6% |
| 120-150k | 3,336 | 29.3% |
| 150k+ | 1,191 | 32.2% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 20,742 | 27.3% |
| Petrol | 97 | 25.8% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,420 | 26.1% |
| 2022 | 4,328 | 26.7% |
| 2023 | 4,222 | 27.2% |
| 2024 | 4,019 | 27.8% |
| 2025 | 3,850 | 29.0% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Santa-Fe
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 17.8% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (17.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (11.0% 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.
- Brakes (9.4% 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.
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 Hyundai Santa-Fes pass their MOT?
72.7% of the 20,839 2012 Hyundai Santa-Fe MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 27.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Hyundai Santa-Fe?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 17.8% of tests, followed by suspension (11.0%).
Does the 2012 Santa-Fe get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 17.4% in the 0-30k band to 32.2% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 20,839 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.