2012 Lexus Gs — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2012 Lexus Gs passed 90.2% of its 2,300 recorded MOT tests. That is 8.6 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 18.4%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests against 2.6% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 52 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 8.8% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 14.5% once past 150k.
The hybrid cars hold up better: 8.2% fail against 11.2% for petrol, a 3.1-point gap across 1,932 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 21.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 7.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 9.7% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 6.2% | 142 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.6% | 61 |
| 3 | Brakes | 2.3% | 53 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.1% | 49 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.7% | 17 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.7% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 52 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 40 |
| 3 | Wipers | 40 |
| 4 | Brake pads | 37 |
| 5 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 35 |
| 6 | Headlamp | 26 |
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 | 21.8% | 501 |
| 2 | Brakes | 13.7% | 316 |
| 3 | Suspension | 8.5% | 196 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.1% | 94 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.6% | 84 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 52 |
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 | 91 | 8.8% |
| 30-60k | 555 | 8.5% |
| 60-90k | 749 | 10.0% |
| 90-120k | 533 | 8.4% |
| 120-150k | 241 | 13.3% |
| 150k+ | 131 | 14.5% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | 1,078 | 8.2% |
| Petrol | 854 | 11.2% |
| Other | 218 | 13.3% |
| Electric | 150 | 8.7% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 457 | 7.9% |
| 2022 | 462 | 8.7% |
| 2023 | 462 | 10.6% |
| 2024 | 465 | 12.3% |
| 2025 | 454 | 9.7% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Gs
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 6.2% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (6.2% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.6% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Brakes (2.3% 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 Lexus Gss pass their MOT?
90.2% of the 2,300 2012 Lexus Gs MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Lexus Gs?
Tyres, recorded in 6.2% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.6%).
Does the 2012 Gs get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.8% in the 0-30k band to 14.5% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 2,300 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.