2012 MINI Cooper — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 53,362 MOT tests, the 2012 MINI Cooper recorded an 84.3% pass rate. Against superminis of a similar age (22.6% fail rate), the 2012 Cooper comes out 6.9pp better. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.1% of tests against 5.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are position lamp, headlamp aim and wipers — position lamp alone was recorded 2,460 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 23.7% versus 7.8%.
The petrol cars hold up better: 14.5% fail against 17.4% for diesel, a 2.9-point gap across 53,362 tests.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 25.0% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 13.9% of tests failed in 2021 against 17.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 10.1% | 5,369 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.3% | 2,812 |
| 3 | Visibility | 3.9% | 2,069 |
| 4 | Suspension | 3.8% | 2,028 |
| 5 | Brakes | 3.3% | 1,765 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 1.6% | 862 |
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 | 2,460 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 2,139 |
| 3 | Wipers | 1,352 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 1,222 |
| 5 | Shock absorbers | 1,035 |
| 6 | Washers | 882 |
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 | 25.0% | 13,345 |
| 2 | Brakes | 20.0% | 10,660 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.3% | 7,621 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 9.3% | 4,936 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.3% | 3,884 |
| 6 | Visibility | 5.2% | 2,793 |
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 | 2,956 | 7.8% |
| 30-60k | 16,825 | 12.4% |
| 60-90k | 20,701 | 16.3% |
| 90-120k | 9,722 | 20.2% |
| 120-150k | 2,552 | 22.5% |
| 150k+ | 600 | 23.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 31,471 | 14.5% |
| Diesel | 21,891 | 17.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 10,498 | 13.9% |
| 2022 | 10,677 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 10,806 | 15.9% |
| 2024 | 10,766 | 16.6% |
| 2025 | 10,615 | 17.8% |
What to check before buying a 2012 Cooper
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 10.1% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (10.1% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (5.3% 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.
- Visibility (3.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
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 MINI Coopers pass their MOT?
84.3% of the 53,362 2012 MINI Cooper MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 15.7% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2012 MINI Cooper?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 10.1% of tests, followed by tyres (5.3%).
Does the 2012 Cooper get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.8% in the 0-30k band to 23.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 53,362 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.