2010 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2010 MINI Cooper passed 80.7% of its 10,047 recorded MOT tests. Against superminis of a similar age (25.3% fail rate), the 2010 Cooper comes out 6.0pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and brakes.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.0% of tests against 5.0% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and individual direction indicators — position lamp alone was recorded 793 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 25.8% once past 150k — 3.3× the risk.
The petrol cars hold up better: 18.2% fail against 21.3% for diesel, a 3.1-point gap across 10,047 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.3% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 16.4% of tests failed in 2021 against 21.6% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 14.0% | 1,409 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.0% | 499 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 446 |
| 4 | Visibility | 4.3% | 428 |
| 5 | Suspension | 4.0% | 407 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 3.7% | 376 |
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 | 793 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 545 |
| 3 | Individual direction indicators | 298 |
| 4 | Catalyst emissions | 285 |
| 5 | Wipers | 270 |
| 6 | Washers | 233 |
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 | 25.3% | 2,541 |
| 2 | Brakes | 22.9% | 2,297 |
| 3 | Suspension | 20.5% | 2,061 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 14.6% | 1,464 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 12.6% | 1,265 |
| 6 | Other defects | 9.0% | 902 |
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 | 432 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 1,940 | 13.9% |
| 60-90k | 3,684 | 18.0% |
| 90-120k | 2,751 | 24.3% |
| 120-150k | 956 | 23.9% |
| 150k+ | 283 | 25.8% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 6,495 | 18.2% |
| Diesel | 3,552 | 21.3% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,822 | 16.4% |
| 2022 | 1,963 | 17.2% |
| 2023 | 2,049 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 2,158 | 20.1% |
| 2025 | 2,055 | 21.6% |
What to check before buying a 2010 Cooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 14.0% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (14.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.0% 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.
- Brakes (4.4% 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 2010 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
80.7% of the 10,047 2010 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 19.3% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2010 MINI Cooper?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 14.0% of tests, followed by tyres (5.0%).
Does the 2010 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 25.8% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 10,047 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.