2012 Mazda 6 — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 19,176 MOT tests, the 2012 Mazda 6 recorded a 77.5% pass rate. Large family cars of a similar age fail 21.5% of the time, so this is 1.0pp worse than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in brakes, lighting & signalling and suspension.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (11.5%) and lighting & signalling (11.3%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, rbt (sp) and service brake performance — position lamp alone was recorded 1,349 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 12.8% in the 0-30k band and 24.8% in the 150k+ band, a 12.0-point spread.
The petrol cars hold up better: 20.9% fail against 23.7% for diesel, a 2.9-point gap across 19,171 tests.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 31.7% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 19.6% of tests failed in 2021 against 25.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 11.5% | 2,204 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 11.3% | 2,167 |
| 3 | Suspension | 7.6% | 1,456 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.1% | 988 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.5% | 661 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 353 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Position lamp | 1,349 |
| 2 | Rbt (sp) | 835 |
| 3 | Service brake performance | 826 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 653 |
| 5 | Brake pads | 640 |
| 6 | Ball joint dust cover | 599 |
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 | 31.7% | 6,087 |
| 2 | Tyres | 26.4% | 5,061 |
| 3 | Suspension | 26.1% | 5,001 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 11.8% | 2,263 |
| 5 | Other defects | 8.3% | 1,585 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 4.6% | 885 |
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 | 227 | 12.8% |
| 30-60k | 2,347 | 17.3% |
| 60-90k | 5,828 | 21.1% |
| 90-120k | 6,122 | 24.3% |
| 120-150k | 3,249 | 25.2% |
| 150k+ | 1,403 | 24.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 11,228 | 23.7% |
| Petrol | 7,943 | 20.9% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,213 | 19.6% |
| 2022 | 4,099 | 21.3% |
| 2023 | 3,905 | 22.4% |
| 2024 | 3,675 | 24.9% |
| 2025 | 3,284 | 25.4% |
What to check before buying a 2012 6
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 11.5% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (11.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (11.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Suspension (7.6% 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 Mazda 6s pass their MOT?
77.5% of the 19,176 2012 Mazda 6 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 22.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 Mazda 6?
Brakes, recorded in 11.5% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (11.3%).
Does the 2012 6 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 12.8% in the 0-30k band to 24.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 19,176 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.